This is what democracy looks like

Members of Students for a Free Tibet meet with the top staffer for Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, who recently replaced Hillary Clinton in the U.S. Senate, to ask for her support on a number of congressional bills, resolutions and efforts in support of Tibet.

Senator Gillibrand was on the floor of the Senate that day speaking so she could not meet with them directly, but she is a strong supporter of the Tibetan people:

At Dartmouth, she learned to speak and write Chinese before spending a semester in China, and wrote a senior project titled “The History of Tibetan Resistance to the Chinese Occupation of Tibet 1950-1988.” As part of her studies, she and her mother visited the Dalai Lama’s house while traveling in India.

more on Senator Gillibrand from the NY Times

NYTimes.com: Pictures of the Day, Feb. 25

Monks left their morning prayer at the Rongwo monastery in Qinghai Province on Losar, the Tibetan New Year. Many Tibetans boycotted New Year celebrations, and used the day to mourn and pray for the Tibetans killed or injured in the March 2008 crackdown.

Photo: Shiho Fukada for The New York Times

Banned in Tibet: SFT’s 2008 Olympics Newsletter

We’re excited to announce that the newest edition of Students for a Free Tibet’s newsletter, Banned in Tibet, is now available online! You can preview it below and then download the high-res PDF file or the high-res JPEG photos of each page for viewing or printing!

From the global protests during China’s international torch relay to the Uprising in Tibet to the Beijing Olympic Games, it was a groundbreaking year for SFT and this jam-packed edition of the newsletter covers it all and more…

Features include:

* SFT Declares Olympics Victory: 8 High-Profile Actions in Beijing
* March 2008 Uprising in Tibet
* Historic Return March to Tibet
* How We Did It: Testimonials from the Activists
* SFT Spotlight Film: Leaving Fear Behind
* 50 Years of Resistance: 1959-2009

Spread the word to your friends, family, co-workers, and anyone else interested in reading more about SFT’s creative work for Tibetan freedom over the past year. In addition to the digital edition of Banned in Tibet, we also have print copies available. To order copies of the newsletter, please contact chand@studentsforafreetibet.org.

Banned in Tibet is more than just an overview of Students for a Free Tibet’s activities — it’s a voice for the Tibetan people and a call for freedom from China’s brutal occupation of Tibet.

We hope that looking back on the Olympics campaign will inspire you to continue taking action for Tibet in the lead-up to the 50th Commemoration of the 1959 Tibetan National Uprising. At this critical time, help us ensure that 2009 is another historic year for Tibet.

Grandpa Wen Gets the Shoe

A protester has thrown a shoe at Wen Jiabao during a speech at Cambridge University and called the Chinese prime minister a “dictator”.

The Christian Science Monitor recalled an earlier shoe incident you might have heard of….

Mr. Wen did not need the ninja-like moves displayed by Bush last year as the shoe did not come nearly as close to its target. Reports have the shoe landing a few feet away.

CNN: UK police arrest Tibet activists during Wen visit

A lot of action in the UK today….

LONDON, England (CNN) — Pro-Tibet activists jumped security barriers and scuffled with police outside the Chinese embassy in London Sunday as hundreds of demonstrators gathered to protest a visit by Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao.

Protesters carrying Tibetan flags chanted “China Murderers,” and “China Out of Tibet,” as Wen, on a three day trip to Britain, arrived at the embassy.

China has long been criticized by the international community for its human rights record in Tibet. Tibetans are pushing for autonomy from China and greater religious freedom.

Wen was greeted at the embassy by a firecracker display in honor of the Chinese New Year before being escorted inside by security personnel.

A group of protesters attempted to jump over security blockades when Wen’s motorcade arrived at the embassy. Several were wrestled to the ground by police and arrested.

Video and the full story are here…