By Peter Tase
MILWAUKEE — The select committee to investigate the January 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol has organized various hearings with former high-level officials of the Trump administration among those subpoenaed was the former White House Counsel Pasquale “Pat” Cipollone who deposited on June 29, 2022, a testimony as a part of the committee’s investigation into these unprecedented clashes in Washington.
To remind ourselves, according to American Oversight, “on the afternoon of Jan. 6, 2021, as Congress was meeting to certify the results of the 2020 presidential election, a violent and heavily armed mob of supporters of outgoing President Donald Trump stormed the U.S. Capitol. While lawmakers and staff were shepherded to secure locations or barricaded behind doors, the rioters pushed past severely outnumbered Capitol Police officers, breaking windows and vandalizing offices, many with disturbingly violent intentions toward members of Congress and Vice President Mike Pence for their having refused to succumb to Trump’s attempts to overturn the election in his favor. Five people were killed, including one Capitol Police officer who was beaten by rioters.”
The attempted coup was not a spontaneous act. Indeed it was planned ahead of time with the support of various organizations among them the violent Tibetan protestors – exiled in the United States – carrying their ethnic flags, who stormed through the stairs of U.S. Capitol and causing turmoil and devastation inside Washington’s temple of democracy.
Individuals in Tibetan attire holding Tibetan flags and banners espoused their support for the incumbent U.S. president and fanned the flames of violence on January 6, violent actions that could very well be considered as the type of homegrown terrorism.
As the Tibetan protestors were complicit in encouraging seditious and violent attacks, it is evident that some of them have only recently immigrated to the U.S. and suddenly rioting against 1400 Capitol Police officers, during these brutal clashes. Exiled Tibetans must be prosecuted for their alleged crimes and it is unfortunate that an ancient ethnic group in Asia, immigrating to the United States, will remain forever as participants of violent clashes that belong in the darkest pages of U.S. modern history.
As the American people were observing from their living rooms, the rioters storming the U.S. Capitol, news reports circulated that the Pentagon — which has authority over the D.C. National Guard — and the president had initially denied requests for the deployment of Guardsmen.
It is disturbing to see that Tibetan exiled community in the United States and other members of Tibetan Community Organizations have played a significant role in the January 6 violent clashes and causing so much pain and suffering to the Capitol Infrastructure and instigating violence against U.S. Capitol Police.
The January 6 Investigation Committee must work together with other branches of U.S. government to invite one of the notorious leaders of Tibet, Mr. Penpa Tsering, who had visited Washington only recently and his testimony as well intelligence acquired from Tibetan violent participants would be an important component in the process of investigating these criminal activities as well as elements of homegrown terrorism.
Furthermore, Uzra Zeya, the State Department’s Special Coordinator for Tibetan Issues, must cooperate with the Special Investigation Committee in order to clarify and explain many suspicious activities and violent behavior emanating from Tibetan nationals in Washington.
The Tibetan Community members in Washington, D.C., continue to orchestrate violent demonstrations in front of the Chinese Embassy in Washington and are seriously defying International Law and Municipality regulations within Washington.
Tibetans and Tibet supporters from D.C., Virginia, and Maryland repeatedly gather in front of the Chinese Embassy with their Tibetan flags while chanting patriotic songs and slogans; these protests echo once again what happened on January 6, and the U.S. Congress must take a prudent outlook towards Tibetans, and tailor a policy that contains extremism, violence, and all instruments that harm democratic institutions.
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Peter M. Tase is an author, journalist, and international affairs expert. He has published 10 books as well as various op-eds and analyses about European geopolitics, U.S. foreign policy, and Latin American studies.
1. “aspersion” and “ulterior motive”
The fact that there were Tibetans participating in the January 6th insurrection is clear and solid. The article aims to reveal and condemn all activities that involve violence, jeopardize democracy and intend to overturn law and order. Disputes shouldn’t be delivered, expressed in the form of violence, otherwise they are no different to terrorism. Violently gathering in DC or on any American land by using the excuse of expressing disagreement is causing more harm in the United States than its opponents.
2. “some individuals” vs “Tibetan Community”
The article hopes and calls upon the attention of January 6th Investigation Committee to not neglect the Tibetan rioters on that day, to punish the evil doers through a meticulous and transparent investigation. It also helps dignify the causes of Tibetan Community to eliminate violent spirit from its ranks; and improve its position, strengthen its posture before the eyes of the world.
3. “serve the interest of the Chinese Government”
Conspiracy theory is certainly harmful to democratic and pluralistic societies. These unfounded comments add more turmoil and confusion into a growingly toxic – violent environment. It is obvious, the unaccountable speculation on ‘serving the interest of Chinese government” is made out of the pure, simple fact that the article above criticizes violent spirit among Tibetans. Unlike any other diaspora and ethnic groups in the United States of America, Tibetan Community has been honored and respected at the highest levels of U. S. Congress, therefore prudence, maturity and peaceful demonstrations organized by Organizations of Tibetans across the US, would greatly contribute to bolstering America’s multicultural and interethnic diversity.
Re: Exiled Tibetans Show Violence in January 6 Insurrection
To the Editor:
We are writing with concern at the report about some “exiled Tibetans” being at the US Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, thereby casting aspersions on all Tibetans.
In particular, by making reference to irrelevant issues like the Tibetan leadership in India and the International Campaign for Tibet, we feel that there is an ulterior motive behind the report, rather than it being an effort to throw light on the despicable action on Jan. 6. The peaceful transfer of power is one of America’s greatest strengths, and the International Campaign for Tibet condemns any acts that prevent it.
While some individuals with Tibetan flags could be seen in video footage from that day, those who were carrying them were like any other Americans who had gathered there. They misused the Tibetan flag, and their actions were not sanctioned by the broader Tibetan American community, not to speak of the Tibetan people at large. More importantly, the report falsely asserts that “Tibetan Community Organizations have played a significant role” in that day. The official Tibetan associations in different parts of the United States did not participate in any way in the Jan. 6 activities, clearly showing that the community as a whole was not involved. As history shows us, it is wrong and dangerous to hold an entire ethnic group responsible for the actions of a few individuals.
The report also embeds a video that appears to splice together footage of the Jan. 6 riots with footage of a peaceful pro-Tibet rally outside the Capitol on a different date. In addition, the report makes the baseless claim that Tibetans “continue to orchestrate violent demonstrations in front of the Chinese Embassy in Washington,” without providing any evidence to support that charge. Tibetans’ nonviolent protests against China’s illegal occupation of their homeland are in no way comparable to what happened on Jan. 6, and the report’s attempts to conflate the two are shameless.
Given that the Tibetan people and their cause enjoy widespread support among the American public, we feel this biased report is aimed at sowing seeds of hatred against the Tibetan people and serves the interest of the Chinese government.
Bhuchung Tsering
Interim President
International Campaign for Tibet