Protests over China human organ harvest

A PROTEST was set to take place today in support of the Falun Gong spiritual movement.

Students from Edinburgh universities and the College of Art, Falun Gong practitioners and members of Amnesty International were all expected to gather outside the office of the Chinese Consulate-General at 2pm.

They are attempting to raise awareness of alleged human organ harvesting in China.

As many as 50 people were expected to take part in the protest at the office, which is based at 55 Corstorphine Road.

It is not the first event that the movement has staged in the Capital.

Previous protests took place in 2004, when Brigadier Mel Jamieson invited members of the Chinese Army to take part in the Edinburgh Military Tattoo.

Practitioners of Falun Gong staged an open-air exhibition of torture methods that they allege are used against their members by the Chinese government.

The exhibition included force-feeding, hanging, electric shocks, and the burning of hair, skin and genitals.

The demonstration took place on the back of lorries following the route of the Festival Cavalcade.