Activists in London are due to take part in a Global Day of Action on Thursday 1 October, aimed at resisting human rights abuses in China. The Global Day of Action will take place in over fifty cities [1], and will mark seventy one years since the founding of the People’s Republic of China.

The events aim to bring activists together to advocate for the rights of Tibetans, Uyghurs, Hong Kongers, Southern Mongolians, Taiwanese, Chinese and other groups who have suffered under the Chinese Communist Party.

Thousands of activists are expected to join the protest from different countries and cities including London, San Francisco, Tokyo, Mexico City, Ulaanbaatar, Vancouver and others.

In London, events are being organised by a coalition of groups, including Free Tibet, Mogolian Community UK, Students for a Free Tibet UK, Tibet Network, Tibetan Community in Britain, Uyghur Community UK, the Uyghur Solidarity Campaign and the World Uyghur Congress.

Due to the regulations in response to COVID19, the coalition is giving activists the option of demonstrating in person in an innovative protest outside the Chinese Embassy, or online.

The protest outside the Chinese embassy will take place between 4pm and 7pm on the Thursday. It is designed to be socially distanced with a group of five people carrying the flags of Tibet, Hong Kong, Taiwan, East Turkestan and Southern Mongolia. To allow as many people as possible to demonstrate while respecting coronavirus regulations, it will be a revolving protest, with one person leaving as another person arrives. Those taking part in the protest will include members of the Chinese, Hong Kong, Southern Mongolian, Taiwanese, Tibetan and Uyghur communities in the UK, representatives from the Office of Tibet, NGO staff and members of the public [2].

The online protest asks supporters to contribute to a “Wall of Resistance” by sending photos of themselves taking part in the Global Day of Action. The wall will be built up during the course of the day, starting with an image of Chinese President and CCP leader Xi Jinping, and transforming by the end of the day into a mosaic of supporters’ faces, spelling the word “Resist” [3].

The Global Day of Action comes in a year which has seen tensions on the border of Tibet and India, a new security law passed in Hong Kong giving the Chinese government a sweeping range of new powers, and escalating human rights abuses against Southern Mongolians, Tibetans and Uyghurs, including mass incarceration and attacks on their culture, languages and religion.

John Jones, Campaigns and Advocacy Manager at Free Tibet said:

“The unity among the groups planning this Global Day of Action has been a sight to behold, with so many different groups pooling their resources to push back against an increasingly dangerous and arrogant regime.

“The organisation in London is a testament to this unity. Even with the COVID19 restrictions, these activists have found a creative and safety-conscious way to show their defiance outside the Chinese Embassy. On Thursday, we will see Tibetans waving the flag of Taiwan, Hong Kong activists showing solidarity with Southern Mongolians and Chinese democracy activists demanding an end to massive human rights abuses against Uyghurs. The CCP, which tries to create unity through the barrel of a gun, is going to see what real unity looks like.”