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Toronto Rally Held in Support of Protestors in China

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Hundreds of protesters gathered in Grange Park in downtown Toronto on the evening of Dec. 3, to support the “White Paper Revolution” in China that calls for an end to Beijing’s draconian “zero-COVID policy” and the Chinese regime’s brutal persecution of religious and ethnic minority groups.

Multiple civil rights associations attended the gathering, including the Toronto Association for Democracy in China (TADC), the Federation for a Democratic China (FDC), and the Democratic Party of China Canada Committee (CDP-Canada). The protesters, many from the Hong Kong, Tibetan, and Uyghur communities, were heard chanting slogans such as “Down with the Communist Party” and calling for Chinese leader Xi Jinping to “step down.”

Yu Houqiang, chairman of CDP-Canada, urged the Chinese protestors to stand their ground, despite reports that the Chinese authorities have arrested protesters in the White Paper Revolution and are tracking down more via phone data.

“Keep up the fight, have all Chinese people come out, hold up a blank sheet of paper, make the CCP fearful, make Xi Jinping fearful,” Yu said.

Epoch Times Photo
Hundreds of protesters gather at Grange Park in downtown Toronto on Dec. 3, 2022, calling out Beijing’s draconian “zero-COVID” policy and brutal persecution of religious and ethnic minorities. Protesters were seen holding signs that read “Free China” and “for all victims of zero-COVID.” (The Epoch Times)

The White Paper Revolution erupted last month after an apartment fire in China’s Xinjiang province left 10 people dead, with reports that the victims were unable to escape or be rescued due to Beijing’s strict “zero-COVID” lockdown measures. Chinese citizens taking part in the protests were seen holding up blank sheets of paper in silent protest as a way of evading censorship or arrest.

A number of demonstrations inspired by the Chinese protesters have been held on university campuses or at Chinese embassies posted around the world, including in Canada, the United States, and some European countries.

Epoch Times Photo
Hundreds of protesters gather at Grange Park in downtown Toronto on Dec. 3, 2022, calling out Beijing’s draconian “zero-COVID” policy and brutal persecution of religious and ethnic minorities. Protesters were seen holding a banner saying that they “stand in solidarity with the White Paper Revolution” in China. (The Epoch Times)

TADC President Wu Wenwen, told The Epoch Times on Dec. 3 that the repression launched by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) against its people—regardless of where it takes place—is an unjust act that threatens universal values ​​of justice, freedom, and respect for human dignity.

Joy Luk, a Hong Kong lawyer in exile, praised the young people in attendance for their courage in joining the Toronto rally, saying “Whether we Hong Kong people have a sense of belonging to mainlanders or not, we will always be Chinese. This cannot be changed.”

“Three years ago, there was a revolution in Hong Kong; now, it is a good time for us to oppose the CCP’s inhuman zero-COVID policy and stand in solidarity with all protesters,” Luk said.

A Chinese student, Paul, who spoke to The Epoch Times on the condition that his last name is omitted, said that he joined the protest “to oppose the CCP,” because the regime has “not only opposed God, but also committed crimes of killing tens of millions of people.”

“This is a very evil act, and we must condemn and stop this atrocity,” he said.

Paul called on all Chinese people to stand up and end the regime’s oppression, adding that “as the Communist Party has persecuted your neighbour today, it can persecute you tomorrow.”

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has said he stands with the Chinese demonstrators, while many Canadian parliamentarians have also expressed their support.

Michell Hu and NTDTV contributed to this report.

Andrew Chen

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Andrew Chen is an Epoch Times reporter based in Toronto.



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