A protest will be held in front of the Chinese Consulate in Munich on February 5th.

Uyghur community in Munich will demonstrate in front of the Chinese Consulate General in Munich on the 5th of February, commemorating the 28th anniversary of the Gulja Massacre.

The European Uyghur Community announced on their social media account that they will hold a protest in front of the Chinese Consulate in Munich on February 5th to mark the 28th anniversary of the Gulja Massacre and to condemn the ongoing genocidal policies of the Chinese government in East Turkistan.

The protest call included the following message: “We are coming together to raise our voices against the ongoing brutal genocide policies of the Chinese government towards Uyghurs, and to mark the anniversary of the massacre that took place in Gulja on February 5th, 1997. The Chinese government is conducting genocide against Uyghurs. History is repeating itself, and what should never happen again is currently happening in our homeland, East Turkistan. We must stand together, speak out, and send a clear message to the Chinese government: Stop this brutality! Join us, be there, and say NO to China’s genocidal regime!”

The protest in front of the Chinese Consulate in Munich will take place on February 5th, 2025, from 3:00 PM to 4:30 PM.

The Ghulja Massacre occurred on February 5, 1997, when thousands of Uyghur men, women, and children protested for freedom of expression and religion. Their calls for tolerance and the end of racial discrimination were met with brutal force from the People’s Armed Police and riot police units. Reports from the Human Rights House Foundation indicate conflicting numbers on the casualties, with estimates of up to 30 Uyghurs killed at the scene and over 100 others injured as security forces opened fire on the nonviolent protesters.

Further adding to the tragedy, more than 200 Uyghurs were reportedly sentenced to death for their roles in the demonstration, as stated by the Human Rights House Foundation based on Amnesty International reports from 1999. Despite the monumental loss of life and the peaceful intentions behind the gathering, those responsible for the ensuing violence have faced no consequences. The relentless repression faced by Uyghurs has only escalated under the Chinese government’s claim of fighting against terrorism, as emphasized by the Uyghur American Association.