Report from Chicago

Chicago, October 22, 2002 (Falun Dafa Information Center) The Chairman of the Chinese Communist Party Jiang Zemin arrived at Chicago O'Hare Military Airport at 10:40AM to begin his four-day visit of the United States. No welcome ceremony was arranged by the US government.

Jiang, branded as "Human Rights Scoundrel" by Amnesty International, tends to attract large number of protesters wherever he visits. To avoid any confrontation with political dissidents and human rights activists, Jiang's group drove directly to Ritz Carlton Hotel without greeting the local Chinese group in the airport that was organized by the Chinese Consulate to welcome him. On the way to Ritz Carlton, Amnesty China raised large signs with Chinese slogans of "Jiang must reveal his secret deals to sell our homeland to foreign countries", "Butcher Jiang, return my human rights to me", etc.

The Falun Gong practitioners who have gathered in Chicago from all over the world had also raised banners of "Stop the Persecution of Falun Gong", "Falun Dafa is good", etc. Although the Chinese Consulate in Chicago had tried to organize local Chinese into a large welcoming group in front of the hotel, the protester group had a significantly larger scale. More than one thousand Falun Gong practitioners were doing public appeal in front of the hotel with their usual form of peaceful meditation. Human rights groups, Free Tibet, Democratic Movements and other groups that concern religious freedom have come from different parts of the world and gathered in front of Ritz Carlton to protest against Jiang, one of the most notorious modern day rights abuser. To avoid embarrassment, Jiang's fleet cut through the parking lot and drove directly into the underground parking structure of the hotel.

Around noon time, a large truck with big slogans of "Return our home land" and "Jiang is selling our country" from Amnesty China drove by Ritz Carlton slowly. The information displayed on the truck clearly illustrated the lands Jiang submitted to neighboring countries in order to secure his own dictatorship. It was shocking information for most Chinese that were arranged to welcome him at the hotel. After the welcoming crowd left the site, many flags used for greeting Jiang were left on the ground.

At 8:00PM, Chicago Counsil of Foreign Relations (CCFR) is scheduled to hold a welcome party for Jiang. The security of the party is closely scrutinized and not all credentialed media are accepted to the party. According to CCFR contact, media that will be able to join the party are pre-arranged by the office of the Chinese Consulate General. Media companies who are not on the list provided by the Consulate have been denied to attend the party. Chicago mayor and the governor of Illinois will also join the party.