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Several thousand China supporters stage Paris demonstration

by amyjudd | April 19, 2008 at 11:04 pm | 204 views | add comment

After weeks of anti-China demonstrations, today in Paris pro-China demonstrators voiced their support of China's handling of the run-up to the Olympic Games.

Organizers say between 6,000 and 7,000 turned out for Saturday's protest, at Paris' Place de la Republique. Police officials put the number of demonstrators at around 3,500.

Many of the demonstrators were wearing t-shirts emblazoned with the phrase "Let's make the Olympics a bridge, not a wall," in French. Many appeared to be Chinese citizens living in France.

France has been the target of a backlash by supporters of China angry about pro-Tibetan protests that rocked the Paris leg of the Olympic torch relay earlier this month.