Thread by @tengbiao

[Thread] A Chinese student group, likely CSSA, threatened Columbia University to cancel a panel discussion on #humanrights in #hongkong #tibet #EastTurkestan #Uyghurs and #China. And they successfully blocked the discussion. An extreme insult to free speech in this country.

[Cont.] A statement co-authored by all panelists and the moderator will be out soon. Even in recent months, many similar things happened in US, Australia, Canada and other countries. #CSSA is definitely a weapon of Chinese government.

Here are two flyers we posted on Eventbrite:
The cancellation explains the importance of this panel discussion. Chinese government successfully prevented this discussion, as it did numerous times in the world. [cont.]

Here is the notice that registered participants received: [cont.]

Pro-democracy Chinese students told me that CSSA will report EVERY event info on American campuses (and of course in any other countries) critical of Beijing, to Chinese consulates. And the consulates instruct them what to do. [cont.]

Among all Chinese student groups in foreign univ., only CSSA has the power to organize political activities, like a protest against a panel discussion. And last night we heard Chinese students at Columbia did protest at the venue we were supposed to talk. (but we don't have pics)

The statement is just out: FREE SPEECH IN AMERICAN UNIVERSITIES UNDER ATTACK FROM BEIJING
studentsforafreetibet.org/free-speech-in…

#CSSA at Columbia U was closed in 2015 "due to violations of financial &organizational policies." Its mission inclu "to project positive Chinese influences into the US society and facilitate the perceptions of China's peaceful rise”.
Then it was reopened.
forbes.com/sites/jnylande…

Chinese gov (thru #CSSA) succeeded in canceling a panel discussion at an Ivy U. on #China's human rights violations.
Now ppl are interested in why this happened, and the panel was invited by many other Universities and institutions.
Good job, #CSSA!