Posted on 04/20/2006 4:43:09 PM PDT by Aussie Dasher
A HECKLER from the Falun Gong spiritual movement, who entered White House grounds as a reporter, interrupted a formal arrival ceremony for Chinese President Hu Jintao today, prompting President George W. Bush to apologise to his guest.
After being welcomed by Mr Bush, the Chinese president was just beginning his response when a woman, who had been allowed into the press section, started shouting.
She was escorted away by a uniformed US guard.
"President Hu, your days are numbered. President Bush, make him stop persecuting Falun Gong," the woman yelled.
US officials later identified her as Wang Wenyi, 47, a reporter with The Epoch Times, an English-language publication strongly supportive of the meditation movement that is banned in China.
"This was unfortunate and I'm sorry this happened," Mr Bush told Mr Hu, according to Dennis Wilder, a senior official with the National Security Council.
The Secret Service charged Ms Wang with disorderly conduct under local statutes.
The US Attorney's office was weighing federal charges of "willing intimidation or disruption of a foreign official", said Secret Service spokesman Eric Zahren.
Outside the White House, hundreds of yellow-clad Falun Gong disciples, Taiwanese nationalists, and Tibetan youth group members demonstrated against Mr Hu and his government.
The protesters denounced China's human rights record, its missile build-up near Taiwan and its 55-year-long rule over the Himalayan Buddhist region of Tibet.
"Communist Party = Tyranny + Lies", read a yellow banner, carried by one female member of Falun Gong, which China outlawed and brutally crushed in 1999.
"Taiwan is not a part of China," read a placard hoisted by one of around 300 Taiwan activists, who reject China's claim of sovereignty over the island. Tibetans, mostly US-based students, called for independence for their homeland.
A US official said Mr Hu's team was probably offended by the incident.
"The hardliners on Hu's team are going to ask, why did it take so long for us to pick her up. It is not a good thing," he said, speaking on condition of anonymity.
Mr Zahren of the Secret Service said the woman had passed through "all appropriate levels of security", including a metal detector. She was allowed into the event under a temporary press pass.
Falun Gong, which thrives overseas despite being largely stamped out in China, alleges that government persecution of the group includes a vast system of concentration camps, where doctors harvest inmates' organs for transplants.
China has vehemently denied this, but a UN investigator is examining the allegation.
In remarks at Mr Hu's arrival ceremony, Mr Bush did not mention Falun Gong, but he said he would discuss human rights.
He urged Mr Hu to allow "the Chinese people the freedom to assemble, to speak freely and to worship".
We live in a free society. This dingbat was a Falun Gong, but she was able to get a press pass, which is why WH security took so long to get to her.
These kinds of things happen in a free society.
You don't invite a guest and then insult him.
Bush had no control over this woman.
And you, as usual, are in the running for the meanest poster for the day. Everyone already knows you work for the Republican party and what a great witness you are for that! Spew a few more nasty remarks and maybe you can convince everyone the Republican party is the BEST!!!
To quote you, which has since been pulled, odd....
"Listen, bub. I work for Republicans because I believe in the Republican party."
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-backroom/1613531/posts?page=95#95
Absolutely despicable.
Nah. Bush is a gracious host.
You're a cretin.
Everybody knows the difference.
"Bush had no control over this woman".
Then, why apologize?
Seems like Bush missed an opportunity to let Hu know we've still got "some" freedom here.
I don't actually work for the Republican party.
I "work" for Republicans to get them elected, just like the guy down the street who makes phone calls and such. On his own dime.
Anything else you need to have explained to you about the intracacies of the English language?
There is no constituional right to start yelling at a White House ceremony.
And I'm sure after the President orders that woman to be run over by a tank, the tank will be headed your way.
Right?
Are you angry about the illegal immigration problem??
Really? The woman was arrested and held for a law against "intimidating a foreign dignitary."
Where's the outcry to repeal that idiotic law if it's so bad. Or, do we prefer that Bush encourage the violation of this law just because Hu is a bad guy and we all really are glad that she pulled this particular stunt.
However, we should also support antiwar protesters when they heckle Tony Blair for killing babies in Iraq?
He's a gracious host. Gracious hosts don't invite a guest to their house, no matter who they are, then turn the dogs loose on them.
I don't recall anyone apologizing to Blair or prosecuting those who protested against him...
Pathetic cowards
A woman arrested for heckling a murdering communist thug in the USA is beyond pathetic,
This is exactly the type of reply I am referring too. Calling people who don't agree with you names is a very poor way to win arguments or to convince anyone you have a valid argument or that anyone should vote Republican. When someone screams at me, I tend to go the other way. If you really want to convince people that Republicans are the most reasonable people to run the nation, I suggest you change your tactics.
Hosts do not allow their guests to be attacked.
When you get elected president, you can not invite the Chinese President to the White House.
I'm with you.
Republicans are running the nation. And, they're the most reasonable people to do so.
Do you think Howard Dean is "reasonable"? Russ Feingold? Ted Kennedy? John Kerry?
Who do you think is "reasonable"?
The poster I referred to as a cretin, IS a cretin. He hates Bush's guts, and always has.
He can call me a cretin, too, if he wants. I'm a big boy. I've been called worse.
Why don't you just go to war with everybody in the world you hate.
Thank God we have a President with some decency EVEN towards those who don't share our exact views.
What happened to that sink is horrific. Its one of the most vivid memories I have of reading the Starr report.
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