Woman falls from consulate in Olympics protest

SFGate ^ | 08/07/08 | Heather Knight

[TigerLikesRooster]

Woman falls from consulate in Olympics protest

Heather Knight, Chronicle Staff Writer

Thursday, August 7, 2008

(08-06) 13:03 PDT SAN FRANCISCO -- A rappelling protester fell two stories from the roof of the Chinese Consulate in San Francisco Wednesday, two days before the Olympic Games begin in Beijing and amid worldwide protest against China's human rights record in Tibet.

San Francisco police and the State Department are conducting a joint investigation into the incident, including claims that the protester's ropes may have been intentionally cut.

The protester was identified as Nyendak Wangden, 22, of Suisun City and a member of Students for a Free Tibet. She was taken via ambulance to San Francisco General Hospital where she was in stable condition. Students for a Free Tibet released a statement Wednesday afternoon saying Wangden had fractured a wrist and a bone in her forearm.

[TigerLikesRooster]

I think this could be her:

from International Campaign for Tibet: http://www.savetibet.org/programs/tylp/2006/index.php

I suspect she is a Tibetan.

[relictele]

Hmmm...Tibet’s a bit hilly. Couldn’t they have sent a decent mountain-climbing type?

[guitarplayer1953]

I hate to say this but strange things can happen when you climb on other peoples buildings.

[Drango]

gravity sucks.

[FlingWingFlyer]

I guess I can understand someone protesting the Red Chinese olympics in San Francisco. The politics of both places are exactly the same.

[Huntress]

San Francisco police and the State Department are conducting a joint investigation into the incident, including claims that the protester's ropes may have been intentionally cut.

I wouldn't put that past the Chicoms.

[colorado tanker]

I don't like the ChiComs and would like to see Tibet achieve self-determination, like any nation captive to the communists, but this incident has the sniff detector going off.

Rappelling is really easy. Two stories? That's nothing. What was her assistant doing on the roof? Obviously, the Chinese don't control the building, but are tenants, otherwise the protesters couldn't get on the roof. So, just what was going on up there? Why do the Chinese care? This is America, people could protest at the door every day till the cows come home. Was this rookies who couldn't even figure out how to rig a rappel rope? Was it done to embarrass the Chinese?

[BigCinBigD]

I’m sure she made a good impression.

[TigerLikesRooster]

One thing is clear: She won't get an entry visa into China for a long time.:-)

[Zetman]

Obviously, the Chinese don't control the building, but are tenants, otherwise the protesters couldn't get on the roof.

I have walked and/or driven past this building a few times. It is on Geary Street, near Japantown - unless the Chinese have more than one Consulate in SF. The Chinese do in fact occupy and control the entire building. I have no idea how the protesters got up on the roof. However, the building is a 2 story building, with public sidewalk bordering it on two sides. The entrance doors look very solid, and have security cameras outside of them. Whenever we drive or walk past the place, there are frequently protesters of one type or another on the sidewalks next to the building, or on the sidewalk across the street.

[colorado tanker]

It still doesn’t add up. How did they get on the roof with mountaineering equipment?

[Figment]

Gravity. It’s not just a suggestion, it’s THE LAW

[TigerLikesRooster]

Ping!

[tanuki]

‘smirk’-Way to keep Tibet out of the headlines, guys!

[tanuki]

Also, I hope this young lady recovers.

[Zetman]

It still doesn’t add up. How did they get on the roof with mountaineering equipment?

Good question. I have read only one article about the incident, and it did not say how they managed to get up on the roof. News reports on the local SF news radio station also failed to mention how they got up there. However, I do know from going past the Consulate that the Chi-Coms seem to occupy the entire building, so I don't think they could have gotten up there via another tenant's facilities, or anything like that. Time will tell what really happened.

[Wacka]

First, she fell only fell about 10-15 feet onto a balcony and broke her arm on a flagpole on the balcony. I think they got to the roof from an adjoining building. The guy from the consulate said that you protect yourself when someone breaks into your home.
They interviewed another protester, They looked to be 17-18 year old naive American girls (spoke perfect English).

[TLOne]

9.2 8.8 9.1 6.3(Chinese Judge)

[Nachoman]

LOL (*snort*)

[bdfromlv]

CAN SHE SAY (DIPLOMATIC IMMUNITY)