Band excluded from Tulip Festival: "The Chinese embassy is here. We don't want to upset them"
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Posted by PR on 10:48:46 2008/05/05
News Editor/ Political Desk/ Photo Opportunities
Media Advisory For Immediate Release May 5, 2008
Invited Band Barred From Canadian Tulip Festival to Please the Chinese Embassy
Due to Band Members Being Falun Gong Practitioners
Apology & Position Change from Festival Organizer Sought by Victims
Ottawa Tian Guo Marching Band was barred by Canadian Tulip Festival organizers from performing due to members of the band being Falun Gong practitioners and due to the organizers' wish to please the Chinese embassy. Tian Guo Marching Band will hold a press conference to ask festival organizers to reverse its position and stop discriminating.
Mr. David Matas, co-author of an independent report into the organ harvesting of Falun Gong practitioners-prisoners of conscience in China, will join the conference to speak on the pattern of the Chinese regime's global repression of Falun Gong including in Canada.
Press Conference:
Time: 12:00 noon
Date: May 5, 2008
Where: Charles Lynch Conference Room
130-S Centre Block, Parliament Building
Contact: 613-852-7494 c
This past Friday, an official of the Canadian Tulip Festival barred the invited Tian Guo Marching Band from performing at the opening ceremony minutes before the pre-arranged performance, telling the band that "The Chinese embassy is here. We don't want to upset them." The official also cancelled all permits granted to the band for performing during the Canadian Tulip Festival at Dow's Lake.
At one point the organizer asked the band members to take off their cap, scarf, and jacket in order to perform, as these items of clothing had the words "Falun Dafa" on them. The police and RCMP were called in to remove the band while all band members were still waiting to hear the final decision from the festival organizer.
The award-winning Tian Guo Marching Band had been invited by the festival organizer to perform "O Canada" and "Maple Leaf Forever" at the opening ceremony and was also listed on the festival's website.
The annual Tulip event seemed to be sponsored by three levels of government. The Chinese Embassy appears also to be a sponsor of the event.
Details will be provided at the press conference.
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