This entry was posted on 6/7/2007 10:53 PM and is filed under uncategorized.
I almost felt that we were in the PRC with the reaction to me waving a flag of the Republic of China (Taiwan) (thanks for letting me borrow it for the match Judge) and Tibet. At about halftime, so people from Tibet came and joined us and brought their flags with us. They told of the oppression that Tibet has faced under the Chinese Communist government. In about the 60th minute, I pulled the ROC flag out and started waving it. Among our chants we yelled, "We all cheer for basic human rights!" and "There's only one free China!" and my favorite, "Chairman Mao liked little girls, Chairman Mao liked little girls, Chairman Mao liked little girls, he was a sick fuck!" Also, we posted a sign that said in Chinese "6-4" for June 4th the day that demonstrators were slaughtered at Tienanmen Square in 1989 for simply asking their unelected government for freedom. After a couple of minutes, a (I assume) Chinese guy came down and tried to get me to wave a PRC flag and tried to tell me it was the real China. I told him that as far as I was concerned that there was only one free China and when he tried to convince me further I simply said well then fuck the People's Republic!" and turned around and continued to wave my flag. About two minutes later, one of the Chinese officials, I assume the political officer (as the Soviets would call him the
zampolit), stopped the game and demanded that not only do we stop waving our flags but take the sign down. He himself tore the sign down. The Chinese team was about to walk off the field if I did not put my flag down and I was asked nicely by Trino Martinez to put it down. Since I had my five-year-old daughter standing next to me (my wife was sitting in the next section over with my two-year-old daughter), and I did not want to get hauled off. So I put it down.
In about the 89th minute, Colin, another member of RCB started back with waving the Tibet flag with the Tibetans. He was asked to stop and refused and was escorted out of the stadium. Security also tried to confiscate his flag, which was his private property and did not constitute something that could ever pose a physical danger to anyone, but thankfully he stood firm and refused to give it to them.
After the final whistle, I resumed waving the ROC flag. This sparked another incident with the Chinese political officer and security. I was told to give them my flag, which I refused to do (especially since it wasn't actually my flag). I was told to put it down or I would be kicked out of the stadium. I responded that it was my free speech right to have the flag and that while they had the right to expel me from private property, they could not detain me. They said that the Chinese found the flag offensive, to which I replied that I found their flag offensive and that the stars on their flag represented regions like Tibet that they militarily occupied and oppressed, but if they would take their flag down, I would gladly take mine down. At this point the security guy just called in a description of my on his radio. By this time, my wife and other daughter had joined me and together (me carrying the two-year-old) we walked calmly out of the stadium. I kept the flag, unfurled, on my shoulder the whole time I was walking out, I was not about to roll it up so that a bunch of communist barbarians would not be offended.
On the drive home, I was listening to the post-game show and was sickened by the refusal to address anything that happened. I understand why it was not discussed, but I still cannot help but feel ashamed that the mouthpieces of the club that I support were intent on kissing the asses of the Chinese. I do not understand why the Chinese get a free pass for their oppression and trampling on human rights while a place like South Africa, during Apartheid was banned from international competitions.
I am so upset right now, but tomorrow I will post some pics to show what happened. Wait, got a link to some
video shot of the incident courtesy of my friend Judge.
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