Release Comrade N immediately!
Report of Protest Action against the Chinese Consulate General in Osaka, Japan
December 22, we held demonstration against the Chinese Consulate General in Osaka, calling for immediate release of Comrade N and other 13 anti-WTO activists detained by Hong Kong police in December 17.
Comrade N is homeless movement activist and alternative media reporter in Osaka, so participants of this action mostly come from these fields. Also, 63 groups and individuals from various sector (homeless movement, day-worker movement, trade union movement, peasant movement, anti-war movement, anti-globalization movement etc) signed the protest petition against the Chinese Consulate General in Osaka, despite so little time for preparation.
(About homeless movement in Japan, see following articles)
http://kamapat.seesaa.net/category/164090.html
At 3 pm, around 30 people gathered near the Consulate located in Nishi-ward, Osaka city. Dozens of security police surrounded the building and streets, and tried to body-check us. There's no one outside besides the Japanese police. We pushed intercom on the wall, explained about protest petition, asked the consul general to come out. The officer on the intercom insisted he's absent and rejected anyone to come out.
We dropped the petition in the mailbox, and read it loud in front of the Consulate.
Contents of our petition are as follows.
"No to WTO, system to expand unemployment and poverty, inequity and war!"
"Stop fabricated prosecution! Release Comrade N and other 13 comrades immediately!"
"Apologize to all 1149 comrades, unjustly arrested in December 17-18!"
After that, we shouted against the consulate these slogans, and ended the protest.
*****
Yesterday, we were relieved at the news that all 14 comrades were released on bail.
We greatly appreciate efforts of people in Hong Kong who worked so hard to rescue them.
We, in Japan, will keep an eye on the situation, keep on demanding their innocence.
Because we strongly believe that their action against WTO was definitely not "the voice of minority". Their voice was/is common shout of the people around the world, who live under the harsh reality of neoliberalist globalization.
Comrades, Let's keep on fighting together!
