China heckler at White House charged

Reuters ^ | Fri Apr 21, 2006 | Reuters byline

[Jack Black]

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A heckler from the Falun Gong spiritual movement who disrupted a White House appearance by Chinese President Hu Jintao was charged in federal court on Friday with harassing, intimidating or threatening a foreign official.

A spokesman for the U.S. Attorney's office in Washington said the misdemeanor charge carries a penalty of up to six months in jail.

The woman, who entered the White House grounds as a reporter, interrupted a formal arrival ceremony between Hu and President George W. Bush on Thursday and shouted: "President Hu, your days are numbered. President Bush, make him stop persecuting Falun Gong."

The embarrassing episode marred the South Lawn event and created a diplomatic stir. Bush personally apologized to Hu for the incident.

U.S. officials identified the woman 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.

Spokesman Channing Phillips said she was arrested by the U.S. Secret Service and that the U.S. Attorney's office decided to proceed by filing the federal charge in court.

The law at issue bars harassing, intimidating or threatening a foreign official in the performance of their official duties.

When she was arrested, the heckler was charged with disorderly conduct. The spokesman said that charge, under local law, could be brought later.

[Unicorn]

BTTT

[Roverman2K]

Agreed, this episode is crass and its seems like something ANSWER would try.

Right thing to do, just wrong time and place to do it

[mikeus_maximus]

Telling Hu he should stop killing Falun Gong is harassment? Well, I guess it is interfering with his "official duties"...

[Antonello]

I believe the entire incident was blacked out by Chinese media. It will only be an "explosive domestic issue" if the communists decide to pursue that path. The Chinese people are unaware, almost without exception, that this ever occurred.

So you are reliant on their government censorship as your diplomatic strategy? Thank God for their draconian tactics. They really saved us this time. I guess their tyranny isn't so bad when you can use it to support your views, right?

[Mr Cobol]

Yah, guess that memo got lost with the one that the AG was going after the leakers.

[mikeus_maximus]

Domo arigato, George Bush roboto

Now THAT's funny!

[tumblindice]

Thank you, sir, thank you very much, danke schoen.
My next song, "Hu Ain't Nuthin' But a Hounddog"
Hit it boys . . .

[RegulatorCountry]

"I guess their tyranny isn't so bad when you can use it to support your views, right?"

What sort of convoluted logic is this? You're the one wringing your hands about "diplomacy," while seeming to applaud disgraceful treatment of a woman who spoke out against tyranny in her home country being faced with jail time. She's really facing worse than that, as far as Chinese agents in this country are concerned.

But, what's one woman's life, when we're talking about keeping feathers unruffled? /sarc

[NormsRevenge]

She should be given a Medal Of FReedom.

[rawcatslyentist]

The woman, who entered the White House grounds as a reporter,

AKA the Enemedia!!!

Time for a REAL security crackdown on so called "reporters"!

[Antonello]

I look at the outrage over Terri Schiavo, and what China is doing far exceeds the moral depravity of what happened to Terri. They are killing healthy political dissidents for organs. And Hu should be heckled from the moment he sets foot in this country to the moment the bloody despot leaves.

And if you were the President and I were Hu, I'd walk right out of the talks. Once I got home I'd be tempted to gift wrap a big box of human livers and send them to the White House with this note:

President dirtboy:

Congratulations. Your foolish pride killed this batch of people. And you'll fart the Communist Manifesto before China ever enters diplomatic talks with the U.S. again. By the way, we're now going to ramp up our prison work camps like never before and crush you on the world market. Enjoy your triple digit inflation. P.S. Let your little Falun Gong protester friend know that she hasn't even begun to see persecution of her group.

Is that the result you want?

[dirtboy]

Is that the result you want?

It worked wonders to bring down the Soviet Union, eh?

[manwiththehands]

"We have a right to speak out in this country. It's OK. Dissent is what makes us great. We are a good people. It's OK. Let her speak ..."

"... now arrest this witch for making my Chi-Com guest feel bad about how he treats dissent in his country ... "

[Democratshavenobrains]

Sometimes it seems like this Administration does things that DUhers could not improve on to make Bush look bad.

[Antonello]

Domo arigato is Japanese, not Chinese. You'd obviously make as good a linguist as you would an international statesman.

[Antonello]

Did you used to work for Colin Powell?

No.

[Verax]

Shame on You BUSH!

Can't wait to hear how Hugh Hewitt spins this one for the administration!

[tumblindice]

Thank you, thank you very much!

[Antonello]

I agree. Notice how this is appaling to the MSM (the heckler), but the Easter Egg infiltration was not. Same thing, IMO. People using an event to make a statement. Trespassing is trespassing.

Thank you. And welcome to FR.

[Publius6961]

There is a time and place for everything, and embarrassing our president is at the very least a severe lack of judgement, to say nothing of good manners.
I'm sure many here will be foaming at the mouth about freedom of speech, but that's my position and I'm sticking to it.

Some price to pay is essential here. Specially reporters should not abuse their special privileges.