Nicole Rycroft, the executive director of Markets Initiative, has been arrested in Beijing for her part in a pro-Tibet demonstration. According to her spokesperson, Bruce Walsh, Rycroft scaled a wall near the China Central Television building in downtown Beijing and unfurled a banner, which read “Free Tibet” in English and Chinese. Swaddled in a Tibetan flag, she then rapelled back down again.
Along with four other activists, Rycroft was picked up by the Beijing police shortly after the stunt took place in the early morning hours. Students for a Free Tibet, the group that organized the demonstration, has been closely monitoring the situation since then. According to the official release, the activists’ whereabouts are “currently unknown,” though Walsh says he expects that Rycroft has been released and put on a plane home. “They want the protesters to go away as quickly and quietly as possible,” he says.
In her native Australia, Rycroft was an elite track athlete who competed on a national level. She was on track to join the Olympic team before a back injury scuttled those plans.
Since then, “she’s put all her drive as an athlete into being an individual activist and humanitarian,” says Walsh. “It was really important for her to [go to Beijing] because she has strong feelings about the ideals behind the games, which she feels have been totally corrupted by what China represents.”
This isn’t the first time Rycroft has put her own safety on the line in pursuit of humanitarian goals. Before joining Markets Initiative, Rycroft worked to alleviate the humanitarian crisis in western Burma, which she blamed in part on China’s support of the Rangoon regime. “She smuggled refugees through the Burmese-Thai border jungles under mortar attack,” says Walsh. “China has been in her sights for some time.”
Walsh stresses that Rycroft took part in the demonstration as an individual, and not in her capacity at Markets Initiative.
(Below is a picture of the event, courtesy of SFA.)
I am so proud of these Tibetan supporters for condeming the illegal occupation of Tibet since 1950. The Chinese government is using the Olympics as a political tool to legitimize its illegal and brutal occupation of Tibet. Tibetans all over the world and their supporters will shine the spot light on China’s worsening human rights records instead of their games. Since China was awarded the games their human rights records have gotten worse and seems to be using it as an excuse to keep a close watch on Tibet and other minority groups. Again I really appreciate these activists for speaking up for Tibet when Tibetans in Tibet have been brutally silenced since the crackdown. How can people of conscious stand by and watch Tibetans suffer under the cruel government of China? For more information on how you can help or learn more please visit, freetibet2008.org.
I have such huge respect for this action - go Nicole! Takes conviction and balls to stand behind your ideals like this, and both are in short supply these days. It makes me all warm and fuzzy knowing that there are still singularly devoted people in the world like Nicole. Very inspiring.
Bravo!
She won another Beijing Olympic medal for Canada
I am so proud of Nicole,what power she has, if there were more Nicoles in the world ,she wouldn’t have had to hang the sign.It’s great to see a spirit like her in action.I don’t know the politics behind it ,but it boggles my mind that the olympics are taking place in CHINA!!!!!
What a great, courageous gesture. Way to go, Nicole!
Gold medal for activism. A new Olympic event.
;-)
Another drop in the bottomless bucket of misunderstanding.
I can’t think of anyone who has done more good in the world of Canadian book publishing than Nicole Rycroft. Hats off to her for having the guts to fight for a better world in China / Tibet as well!
Way to go Nicole!
You’re truly inspirational
[...] Quillblog recently reported, Nicole Rycroft, the executive director of Markets Initiative, took part in a pro-Tibetan [...]
How does this act actually help the people of Tibet? It doesn’t change anything for them - no government policies will change, China won’t give them their country back… If it’s awareness she’s looking for, there are better ways to do this then absailing down a placard in the early morning and getting arrested. If anything this act serves to alienate a global community already so obsessed with olympic culture and competition, not to mention being a smack in the face to all those athletes who have dedicated their lives to the sport they love so much. As a former athlete herself, Rycroft should respect the dreams of other athletes. This act, although well meaning, is another perfect example of Western idealism taken too far.