Oz police, Tibetans scuffle outside Chinese embassy in Canberra

Tibetan protesters and Australian police clashed with each other outside the Embassy of China in Canberra today over a demand for protecting the human rights of the former in Tibet.

Sydney, Dec.10 : Tibetan protesters and Australian police clashed with each other outside the Embassy of China in Canberra today over a demand for protecting the human rights of the former in Tibet.

One protester tried to jump over the fence of the embassy, leading the police to restrain the group of around 20 protesters, including women and children.

The protesters even threw placards and flags over the gates of the embassy.

Police made no arrests and allowed the protesters to continue their organised march into the city centre.

Protesters from the Australian Tibetan community had met outside the embassy this morning to call on the Federal Government to stand up to China over its human rights record.

The scuffle broke out after a failed attempt by the protesters to hand the Chinese embassy a letter outlining their concerns.

Tempers flared after the security guard at the embassy refused to take the letter, the news.com.au reported.

"The emotion ran really high and a lot of Tibetans wanted to pass the message directly to the embassy staff about what's happening in Tibet," one of the activists was quoted, as saying.

Simon Bradshaw of the Australia-Tibet Council said it was an emotional issue for many Tibetans.

"Tibetans are always deeply committed to a non-violent compassionate struggle but this is a very emotional issue for a lot of people," he said.

Protest organiser Tsewang Thupten said: "We need to draw attention to the fact that the Chinese Government, for over 50 years, has been relentlessly pursuing a policy of cultural genocide and repression of the rights of the Tibetan people under the illegal occupation."

ANI