WASHINGTON—The arrival of Chinese leader Xi Jinping for the U.S.–China summit brought large crowds, and not all were there to welcome him.
Between Sept. 23 and Xi’s departure on Sept. 25, protesters staged hundreds-strong rallies, projected faces of political prisoners in China on buildings across D.C., and paraded in downtown streets to highlight the abuses in China.
These groups include Hongkongers, Tibetans, Uyghurs, democracy activists, and practitioners of the spiritual discipline Falun Gong. Many have families or friends detained in China for their advocacy or beliefs.
The demonstrations were largely peaceful. But on two occasions, Epoch Times reporters witnessed the pro-Beijing camp getting into a melee with the other side. …