Iranian-Americans in L.A. Protest China's Support of Iran, Erect Huge Mural Outside Chinese Consulate

By Simone Wilson Tue., Feb. 14 2012 at 1:00 PM

"Iranian Americans put 30 foot mural in front of the Chinese consulate to criticize their support of Iran & Syria govts"

It's a strange week for Chinese-U.S. relations.

We're welcoming Vice President Xi Jinping to Los Angeles day after tomorrow for a full city tour (including yacht ride and Lakers game) to strengthen L.A.'s business ties to the rich communist country. Similarly, on a national scale, President Obama is trying to remain cordial with Xi for obvious financial reasons. However...

... Republicans in Congress, and many of their constituents, are demanding that the White House "[stand] up to China's unfair and flagrantly illegal trade practices."

Another severe dividing point between the U.S. and China is the nuclear situation bubbling over in Iran. While President Obama lashes out at Israel's neighboring enemy nation for (allegedly) manufacturing nuclear weapons, China has remained a staunch supporter of Iran, its great Middle-Eastern ally on the anti-freedom front.

Zoom back in to Los Angeles -- where a strong pro-democracy contingent of Iranian-Americans have been protesting Iran's current regime, as well as any and every country who supports it.

According to L.A. reporter Ricardo Santiago, about a dozen protesters with bullhorns and signs gathered in front of the Chinese consulate this morning.

They unveiled a gorgeous 30-foot mural (above), on which the evil-looking leaders of Iran, China and Russia use their veto power to "water down or block the most powerful pressure that could be put on the Islamic Republic," one activist told the Los Angeles Times.

The Times also reported that NYC graffiti artist Cycle did the paint job.

Guess he and the Iranian-American protesters haven't heard of a little city nuisance we like to call the mural ordinance. Although it's frantically being revised by city planners -- after much pressure from L.A.'s street artists and their many fans -- the ordinance currently restricts any new art from going up on private property. And on city property, it would need permission from L.A. officials.

But Santiago, who took the above photo, tells us over Twitter that "it didnt look permanent" and that he suspects they might "take it down today at some point." (Like good little protesters. Take note, Occupy L.A.!)

Bijan Karimi of the "New Iran pro-democracy movement" tells the Times that as a result of China's support, Iran "feels free to ignore the international community and continues to refuse to give power back to our people, respect human rights or halt their nuclear ambitions."

Still, Obama's gritting his teeth and making Xi's visit as feel-good as possible, reports the Associated Press.

President Obama assured China's heir apparent to leadership that the United States welcomes Beijing's rise in the world, saying Tuesday that strong cooperation between the two powers is good for the rest of the world.
Obama offered a warm welcome to Chinese Vice President Xi Jinping amid sharp policy differences over Syria, Iran and economic issues, as well as longstanding U.S. concerns over Chinese human rights practices.

Total crickettown at the mayor's office in regard to that, as well. City Hall may be quick to sever (or at least try to sever) all business ties with Arizona over immigrants rights, but no matter what China does, with this caliber of subway loan on the line, better to just smile and bow.

[@simone_electra / swilson@laweekly.com / @LAWeeklyNews]

Tags:

China, Chinese Consulate, Iran, mural, mural ordinance, nuclear weapons, Xi Jinping

We Recommend

Amin Movahedi

The Iranian people will not forget China politics

Dennis Romero

"China's unfair and flagrantly illegal trade practices" allow U.S. consumers to buy cheap goods from China!

If China did not peg its currency to the dollar, then most of the things that people here in the U.S. buy would be much more expensive. This would be a good thing in my opinion because people would no longer be able to buy the quantities of useless junk that they currently do. No more cheap clothes, electronics (TV's, ipad/pod, speakers), toys, shoes and the list goes on.

China's artificially low currency value allows the U.S. to maintain its standard of living illusion, when in reality, most citizens have a false sense of entitlement, no understanding of the real world (how to grow food, make shelter / clothes, gather water, be productive) and are reliant on technology that they don't have the ability to ever really understand. In fact, as we sit here and point our fingers at countries like Greece for being a lazy population that pay no taxes, our reality is that we do not work that much harder and every single $ of taxes that you are currently paying goes towards interest on our ever increasing debt. We are just as F_cked as Greece, it's just that the TV keeps telling us we are better and people still take our printed money.

And if you really want to talk about currency manipulation, look at Japan, look at the U.S. buying up Treasury Securities like a mother F_ucker to keep the demand up. I realize that not many people understand this stuff (the blog writer probably doesn't and the Senators should but don't seem too) but it affects your life everyday on so many levels, so I am attempting to at least enlighten one person.

and now Iran... There are other countries that treat their citizens much worse, why don't we go after them? There are other countries that have nuclear capabilities and weapons that are very unstable, why don't we go after them? Therefore, those two excuses do not hold any water. Panneta even says they do not pose a nuclear risk. What gives?

Not a single person should be able to profit during war time. Everyone in this country should be on minimum wage (including the president, government officials, CEO's, bankers, business owners) while this country is at war. If you want to make a bunch of money, then figure out how to end the war so that we can resume business as usual, but you should never be able to profit while your country is at war. Cowards.