A total of eight organizations, including Friends of Canada-India and seven others, has held a protest against China’s brutal repression of Uyghurs, concentration camps and for the release of two detained Canadians in China. The protest took place on October 18 from 12 pm to 4 pm.

The protest marched from Vancouver Art Gallery to Chinese consulate office in Vancouver and demonstrators rallied outside the Chinese consulate to take a stand against the Chinese government crackdown against Uyghurs community and other ethnic groups.

Maninder Gill of Friends of Canada-India said that the Chinese law threatens freedom of the press, freedom of speech and freedom of assembly. Gill strongly condemned China for its irresponsible actions and dictatorship approach.

Avtar Johal, Paul Braich, Baljinder Cheema, Parmjit Khosla, Dr Hakam Bhullar, Ashish Manral, Manpreet Grewal, Irfan Rana, Sohaib Ali Bajwa and many more joined the protest under Maninder Gill’s leadership. Slogans against China were raised. More than 500 people participated in the protest

Protesters followed all the guidelines by the BC Ministry of Health due to COVID-19. People were wearing masks and social distancing was maintained.

The seven other organizations who joined Friend of Canada-India are as follows:

1. Canada Tibet Committee & the Tibetan Community
2. Friends of Canada India Organization
3. Vancouver Society of Freedom, Democracy & Human Rights for China
4. Vancouver Hong Kong Political Activists
5. Vancouverites concerned about Hong Kong
6. Vancouver Society in Support of Democratic Movement (VSSDM)
7. Vancouver Uyghur Association

Maninder Gill of Friends of Canada-India thanked everyone at the end and said that despite COVID-19, it was a successful event.