Tibetan activists to hold vigil today at state capitol

St. Paul, Minn. — Tibetans will hold vigils, protests, and prayers around the world today, including an event at the State Capitol in St. Paul this afternoon.

It's been one month since peaceful protests began in Tibet to observe the 49th anniversary of the Tibetan uprising against Chinese rule.

Activists angered over China's crackdown on demonstrators have tried to disrupt the global torch run building up to the Beijing Olympics.

The president of the Minnesota Tibetan Youth Congress, Kalsang Phuntsok, says the protesters want China to cancel Olympic torch runs through Tibetan areas.

"What we also want to tell the Chinese people is that Tibetans are not against Chinese people, they are against as the Chinese government. But that we are using these Olympics as a stage to protest mainly to tell the world that what China has been doing to Tibet is not right," said Phuntsok.

Phuntsok expects close to 400 local Tibetans at today's vigil. He said Tibetans want the Chinese government to grant Tibetans freedom of religion and expression. About 120 Twin Cities Tibetans also went to San Francisco this week to protest the Olympic torch run.