Justice Prevails, Temporarily, As San Leandro Postpones On China’s Flag

Once again the good folks of San Leandro were served with integrity and common sense by Mayor Cassidy who decided to veto a proposal to raise the flag of communist Chinese regime regime above City Hall. The controversial suggestion, designed we are asked to accept from its chief proponent Council Member Benny Lee would be a gesture of peace. That claim has been overwhelmed however by a unified and informed opposition rightly concerned with associating the City with a symbol of oppression, injustice and human rights violations. TV Report HERE

“To do it at city hall is a severe mistake. That no longer becomes a group in the community celebrating their culture,” said Cassidy,” it becomes our city government linking itself with the Chinese government.”

Image:ktvu

The protest against honoring China’s Regime attracted popular support from within the local community and also from a number of Tibetan Community organizations, including RTYC San Francisco and Bay Area Friends Of Tibet, who today demonstrated at City Hall and vocalized their opposition during the Council’s meeting.

Image:ktvu

In addition the issue has reached far beyond the City limits and people from around the world have expressed their concern at the prospect of linking San Leandro with a regime that is responsible for waging a genocidal assault against Tibet and its culture. The Council meeting even came under the scrutiny of hacktivists Anonymous who yesterday posted a message on Twitter urging Mayor Cassidy to take the right action.

Image: via @ProjectInject

To all friends and supporters who supported our online actions on this, thank you! In particular a massive appreciation to our colleagues @tibettruth for raising awareness on this 24/7, final thanks however is reserved for the folks of San Leandro and their Mayor who when required stood by values of freedom and human rights.

A cautionary cloud still shadows today’s decision, articulated through some local opinion which has it that this is more of a postponement, such a view appears based upon a suspicion that the Mayor’s position is that San Leandro Council takes any action it chooses regardless of its Charter. That’s some claim and if based upon observed facts and precedence any such action by City Council would be undemocratic and in violation of the city’s Charter! If the decision reached by today’s meeting, and agreed by Mayor Cassidy, to modify the relevant Agenda on flag raising to permit a collective Council decision in future, then further efforts may be made to get the Chinese flag above City Hall. For the purposes of detail we are sending in a request to mhanda@sanleandro.org for a copy of the recorded minutes of the meeting, meanwhile one thing’s for sure efforts to oppose San Leandro honoring China’s regime should not be suspended until a clear and definitive decision has been publicly made by City Hall.