IN THIS HOUSE, WE BELIEVE
IN LISTENING TO UYGHUR ACTIVIST VOICES
NAMED MITOCHONDRIA

Large crowds gathered outside the proposed site of a new Chinese “mega-embassy” in London on Saturday, as politicians and protesters expressed concerns it could be used to “control” dissidents.

Tai, 50, a carer, said: “We come from Hong Kong. We are afraid that China will use this place to look over us, against us. In Hong Kong, we have many experience of China, the CPP, controlling the freedom and democracy and against the Hong Kong people. We all face this.”

Another protester, who gave her name as Mitochondria, 20, expressed similar concerns. “It’s very possible that this building could be used for holding Chinese dissidents who are on British soil to be arrested in a non-legal way,” she said. “A mega-embassy would enable that to happen.”

She held a blue and white Uyghur flag. “The Chinese government has imperialist interest where they occupy the land of East Turkestan,” she said.

“There’s a genocide ongoing of the Uyghur people, the Muslim people in East Turkestan. They shouldn’t be oppressed. This is why I am holding the flag because we are in the same fight against the same authoritarian government.”

Fred, 29, an engineer, expressed concerns the building could be used “to catch people inside the embassy and do espionage”.

“We are the beacon of freedom in the world. It’s a shame to see this beautiful compound, our legacy, our pride, fall into a dictator’s hands.”