No ‘Goddess’ for Chinese New Year Celebrants

Thousands of onlookers lined the streets of Chinatown on Saturday to celebrate the Chinese New Year as groups of demonstrators stood among the crowd with banners to remind them of a float they would not see--a replica of the Goddess of Democracy.

The Chinese Chamber of Commerce banned the 6-foot replica of the statue from entering the parade. The statue became a symbol of China’s pro-democracy movement last June when Chinese troops bulldozed the original statue during student protests in Beijing.

Members of the Federation for a Democratic China, the Chinese Alliance for Democracy and the American-Chinese Human Rights Advocates held a press conference an hour before the parade, criticizing the Chamber of Commerce for banning the federation’s float entry.

The float was rejected by parade organizers because it did not fit the parade’s theme of “Good luck and the ringing in of a happy new year,” said Bill Hong, chamber vice president.

In a 14-4 vote, the chamber executive board voted against the float because it had less to do with Chinese culture than with international politics, Hong said.

Speaking at a Chinatown restaurant, critics of the decision accused the Chinese Chamber of Commerce of being bullied by the Chinese government, with which many of its members do business. They said the chamber was “compromising human rights and freedom for some cheap dollars.”

“We are protesting some Chinese businessmen who put their business interests first before those of human rights,” said Chris Wu, a member of the Los Angeles chapter of the Chinese Alliance for Democracy.

“We can’t take part in the parade, but with our banners, we can let people know we still want the Goddess of Democracy in the parade,” he said. “We stand here to let people know we will protect her and to let them (the Chamber of Commerce) know this is wrong.”

About 10 protesters stood in front of the restaurant throughout the parade carrying signs in Chinese and English that read: “Long Live the Goddess of Democracy” and “Democracy and Human Rights; Liberty and Justice!”

The parade ushered in the lunar Year of the Horse with marching bands from USC and local high schools, dragon and lion dancers, firecrackers, floats and a car carrying Mayor Tom Bradley.

Some protesters said they understood the Chinese Chamber of Commerce’s decision, but still believed that the groups should make an appearance at the parade.

“It’s neat to have a parade for Chinese people, but some of them are still being tortured and killed,” said Anne Whipple, who studied at Beijing University for a year and is editor of Beijing Notes, an eight-page English-language newsletter published in Los Angeles. “We should remember those people today.”

Los Angeles police estimated that Saturday’s parade drew 5,000 spectators.