Chinese protest Tibet independence, slam France

By Ben Blanchard

BEIJING (Reuters) - Chinese people took to the streets in several cities on Saturday to denounce calls for Tibetan independence and demand a French goods boycott following anti-China protests on the Paris leg of the Olympic torch relay.

Pictures from the central city of Wuhan showed large crowds marching with banners reading: "Oppose Tibet independence, support the Olympics", and "Say no to French goods".

There were similar protests in the southeastern city of Hefei and the southwestern city of Kunming, with groups gathered outside branches of the French supermarket chain Carrefour.

In Beijing, there was a small protest at a Carrefour supermarket but police soon ended it.

"We are trying to wake up Chinese people's patriotism to let them make an effort for the Olympic Games and to work together to protest against Tibetan separatist activities," one protester, who declined to be identified, told Reuters.

A small group of people gathered near the French embassy protesting disruptions to the Olympic torch relay in Paris, holding banners saying: "Tibet belongs to China" and "Shut up you French". Riot police sealed off the streets leading to the embassy, and the group soon dispersed.

"Many participants in Kunming persuaded elders and kids to leave the crowd and maintained order during the protest," Xinhua news agency said in a brief report in English on the protests.

In Paris itself, Chinese demonstrators waving flags and banners supporting the Games held a protest against the way the situation in Tibet has been reported in the West.