Protest Against Mega-Embassy: Hong Kong Groups Rally in London

Rights groups, Tibetans, and Uyghurs protested in London against China's plan for a mega-embassy. Concerns were raised over intimidation and surveillance of dissidents, while 6,000 participated near the Tower of London. The embassy's construction includes a tunnel and hundreds of accommodations, sparking global human rights concerns.

A diverse coalition of rights groups from Hong Kong, alongside Tibetans, Uyghurs, and local residents, convened at the historic Royal Mint Court in London to voice their opposition to China's proposed mega-embassy. The protest echoed fears that the facility could be used by Beijing to monitor and intimidate dissidents abroad, Radio Free Asia reported.

Organizers reported a turnout of approximately 6,000 demonstrators, marking the second major protest in a five-week span near the Tower of London. The protest concluded without incident. The Chinese government purchased the historic site with plans to construct what would become its largest diplomatic outpost globally.

One of the project's architects revealed plans for the embassy complex, which includes a passageway connecting two former Royal Mint buildings, below-ground spaces, and lodgings for hundreds of staff. Protesters adorned the site with signs portraying UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Chinese President Xi Jinping as Winnie the Pooh. A similar rally occurred earlier in the same location against China's mega-embassy plans, according to RFA.

Acquired by China in 2018, the site is slated to host an embassy ten times the size of a standard facility, featuring cultural exchange centers and 225 residences. China's human rights track record, marked by mass detentions, forced labor, and heavy surveillance, has been criticized internationally. The government faces accusations of religious suppression, cultural eradication, and forced assimilation of minority groups.

Reports document cases of family separations, indoctrination, and destruction of minority heritage, with international bodies condemning these practices as acts of genocide. China rebuffs these allegations, citing anti-extremism efforts, yet the situation remains a pressing global human rights issue. (ANI)

(With inputs from agencies.)