Vancouver activists urge Canadians to boycott Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics

Dozens of activists gathered in downtown Vancouver on Saturday afternoon to declare they will not be watching the upcoming Winter Olympic games in Beijing, China, and are encouraging other Canadians to do the same.

The rally was organized by Vancouverites Concerned About Hong Kong (VanCAHK) and Vancouver Society In Support of Democratic Movement (VSSDM). Both organizations say they're protesting the games because of ongoing conflicts in Hong Kong, Tibet and Xinjiang.

"Not watching the games is telling the Chinese government that it has done a lot of abuse to human rights," said VSSDM representative Mabel Tung.

The protesters gathered outside the building of the CBC, the official broadcaster of the games. 

Tensions between Hong Kong residents and the Chinese government have been high since Beijing implemented a sweeping national security law following massive pro-democracy protests in 2019.

China has also been accused of tightening controls over Tibet's traditional Buddhist culture and human rights violations against Uyghurs in Xinjiang.

Tung said she still supports Canadian athletes competing at the Olympics, but said she cannot legitimize the games by watching the event.

"We just urge Canadians to stand on the right side of history," she said.

COVID-19 concerns

The Canadian Olympic Committee has confirmed five members of Canada's Olympic delegation, a team of 246 people, have been placed under COVID-19 protocols in Beijing, although it is unclear whether they have tested positive for the coronavirus.

Caroline Colijn, epidemiologist and professor at Simon Fraser University says it's not a surprise the virus is showing up at the games despite strict measures.

"Given how much Omicron there is in Canada right now, it's not altogether surprising that five people may have been exposed recently enough that they might still be testing positive, or maybe picked it up very recently," she said. 

The Canadian Olympic Committee has not released the names of those under COVID protocols but says there will be daily COVID updates moving forward.

Tung said another rally outside the Chinese Consulate in Vancouver is planned on Feb. 3, the same day as the opening ceremonies at the 2022 Winter Games in Beijing.