Frankfurt — Tibetan and Hong Kong activists, their supporters protested against the Chinese government at the Dragon Boat Festival in Frankfurt, Germany, to condemn human rights abuses in Tibet. However, their peaceful protest was met with torn banners, Tibetan and Hong Kong flags were forcefully removed, and the activists were physically harassed by people backed by the Chinese government. "Our voices have not been silenced," say the activists.
Two dozen activists from Tibet Initiative Germany and Freedom for Hong Kong staged a peaceful demonstration at the Chinese Dragon Boat Festival in Frankfurt, Germany, on May 26, 2025, to demand respect for human rights in Tibet, Hong Kong and East Turkestan. However, their peaceful demonstration was met with attacks from the Chinese, who asserted that the transnational repression of the Chinese government was present in the free country of Germany.
The activists explained that the Dragon Boat Festival took place in Frankfurt for the second time, which was organised by the Chinese Consulate General and organisations with connections to the so-called "Unity Front", an instrument of influence of the Chinese government.
The activists and supporters's message is "Solidarity must not cover up repression and oppression by the Chinese government."
During their peaceful demonstration, people backed by the Chinese government came to tear down banners that reading: "Tibet is not part of China", "Stop compulsory Chinese boarding schools", "We demand the release of all political prisoners in Tibet and China: stop repression of people in exile". The people also try to take down Tibetan and Hong Kong flags, and the Tibetan and Hong Kong activists were physically harassed.
According to Tibet Initiative Germany, "the police had to intervene to allow the protest at all, but throughout the day, there were provocations, verbal attacks and targeted photographs of protesters - apparently with the aim of intimidating them."
"The influence of authoritarian regimes even here in Germany is real. The fact that a public festival in Frankfurt - with the support of the Chinese Consulate General - will become a place of intimidation is absolutely unacceptable," the activists said.
“Our voices have not been silenced - and will remain so,” said activists after being physically harassed.
