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| Dalai Lama's Glastonbury appearance prompts security fears | Dalai Lama's Glastonbury appearance prompts security fears |
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| Security fears have been raised about the Dalai Lama’s appearance at Glastonbury as protesters around the UK are expected to demonstrate against the exiled spiritual leader. | Security fears have been raised about the Dalai Lama’s appearance at Glastonbury as protesters around the UK are expected to demonstrate against the exiled spiritual leader. |
| He is due to give a talk to festivalgoers in the Green Fields area of Glastonbury site on Sunday, before travelling to Aldershot in Hampshire, where he will open a Buddhist community centre. | |
| His four-day visit will be marked by protests by the International Shugden Community (ISC), which claims the Dalai Lama, 79, is involved in the persecution of Shugden Buddhists in Tibetan exile. | His four-day visit will be marked by protests by the International Shugden Community (ISC), which claims the Dalai Lama, 79, is involved in the persecution of Shugden Buddhists in Tibetan exile. |
| Chinese officials have also expressed their disapproval and on Friday told Glastonbury organisers that inviting him to visit one of Europe’s largest music festivals was tantamount to giving him a platform to engage in anti-China activities. | Chinese officials have also expressed their disapproval and on Friday told Glastonbury organisers that inviting him to visit one of Europe’s largest music festivals was tantamount to giving him a platform to engage in anti-China activities. |
| Lu Kang, a foreign ministry spokesman, told a daily news briefing that he was not aware of the details of what the Dalai Lama was doing at the festival. | Lu Kang, a foreign ministry spokesman, told a daily news briefing that he was not aware of the details of what the Dalai Lama was doing at the festival. |
| He said, however, that “China resolutely opposes any country, organisation, body or individual giving any kind of platform to the 14th Dalai Lama to engage in anti-China splittist activities”. | |
| David Cameron’s spokeswoman was asked whether the prime minister was concerned about Chinese displeasure over the Dalai Lama’s appearance at Glastonbury, but he said it was an issue for the festivalgoers. | |
| Activists on social media have targeted the Glastonbury hashtag, using it to send out anti-Dalai Lama tweets. | Activists on social media have targeted the Glastonbury hashtag, using it to send out anti-Dalai Lama tweets. |
| A protest will be staged at King’s Cross station in London on Saturday, and more than 500 ISC protesters are expected to turn out on Monday when the Dalai Lama visits Aldershot football club. | |
| The ISC protesters, who earlier this month demonstrated against his appearance in Sydney, claim religious intolerance and segregation, including signs above shops and medical facilities refusing service to Shugden Buddhists. | The ISC protesters, who earlier this month demonstrated against his appearance in Sydney, claim religious intolerance and segregation, including signs above shops and medical facilities refusing service to Shugden Buddhists. |
| One website called on the Tibetan leader to accept four points, including “to allow anyone who wishes to practice Dorje Shugden the freedom to do so”. | |
| Shugden Buddhists say they have been mistreated in Tibetan exile communities because the Dalai Lama has banned them from worshipping the fierce spirit known as Dolgyal or Shugden. | Shugden Buddhists say they have been mistreated in Tibetan exile communities because the Dalai Lama has banned them from worshipping the fierce spirit known as Dolgyal or Shugden. |
| An ISC spokeswoman said the Dalai Lama had escaped media scrutiny because of his “cult celebrity status”. | An ISC spokeswoman said the Dalai Lama had escaped media scrutiny because of his “cult celebrity status”. |
| She said: “This humble Buddhist monk, as he likes to call himself, makes vast sums of money out of Buddha’s teachings, sports Gucci loafers and Rolex watches and stays in five-star hotels, whilst applying ruthless religious intolerance towards his own people who live in poverty, hardship and fear.” | She said: “This humble Buddhist monk, as he likes to call himself, makes vast sums of money out of Buddha’s teachings, sports Gucci loafers and Rolex watches and stays in five-star hotels, whilst applying ruthless religious intolerance towards his own people who live in poverty, hardship and fear.” |
| Tim Loughton, a Tory MP and part of the all-party parliamentary group on Tibet, said the Dalai Lama had been afforded no police protection and raised concerns that the spiritual leader’s free speech was being put at risk. | Tim Loughton, a Tory MP and part of the all-party parliamentary group on Tibet, said the Dalai Lama had been afforded no police protection and raised concerns that the spiritual leader’s free speech was being put at risk. |
| He said he had written to the home secretary, Theresa May, to request police protection for him. | He said he had written to the home secretary, Theresa May, to request police protection for him. |
| “It’s extraordinary given his status and the fact that every other country, with the exception of Latvia, have provided security,” Loughton said. | “It’s extraordinary given his status and the fact that every other country, with the exception of Latvia, have provided security,” Loughton said. |
| An alliance of 10 UK Buddhist organisations has formally dissociated themselves from the protests saying they were “very concerned about the protesters’ aggressive, misleading and unethical behaviour”. | An alliance of 10 UK Buddhist organisations has formally dissociated themselves from the protests saying they were “very concerned about the protesters’ aggressive, misleading and unethical behaviour”. |
| In an open letter, it said that “differences of opinion among Buddhists should be expressed in a peaceful, respectful, truthful and reasonable manner”. | |
| It claimed the protesters’ aim was to “destroy the religious and moral authority of His Holiness the Dalai Lama”, adding that “this also suits the Chinese Communist party very well”. | It claimed the protesters’ aim was to “destroy the religious and moral authority of His Holiness the Dalai Lama”, adding that “this also suits the Chinese Communist party very well”. |
| A spokeswoman for the UK’s Foreign Office said: “The Dalai Lama is an important religious figure, and he has visited the UK on many occasions. We are aware this is a sensitive issue. It has been raised with us by a number of different groups, including representatives of the Dalai Lama and the Chinese embassy.” | A spokeswoman for the UK’s Foreign Office said: “The Dalai Lama is an important religious figure, and he has visited the UK on many occasions. We are aware this is a sensitive issue. It has been raised with us by a number of different groups, including representatives of the Dalai Lama and the Chinese embassy.” |
| China has arrested a Tibetan man for sharing a picture of the Dalai Lama and the banned Tibetan national flag on the messaging app WeChat, local media reported on Friday. | China has arrested a Tibetan man for sharing a picture of the Dalai Lama and the banned Tibetan national flag on the messaging app WeChat, local media reported on Friday. |
| Chinese authorities are reported to be on alert as Tibetans around the world prepare to celebrate the Dalai Lama’s 80th birthday early next month. | Chinese authorities are reported to be on alert as Tibetans around the world prepare to celebrate the Dalai Lama’s 80th birthday early next month. |