Over 300 Chinese Americans and Chinese nationals working and studying in the U.S. gathered near the U.S. Capitol Saturday to protest against some Western media and politicians' biased remarks about last months' riots in Lhasa, the capital city of China's autonomous region of Tibet.

The peaceful demonstration in the Upper Senate Park, which lies across the street from the U.S. Capitol Building, attracted Chinese Americans and overseas Chinese of all ages and from various professions who live or study in the Washington D.C. metropolitan area.

"American media, you can muzzle our voices, but cannot smother the truth!" reads one banner.

"We Chinese American feel outraged by the biased Western media coverage on the Lhasa riots and Olympic torch relay, and I think it is time to have our voices heard, "said Ma Xiping, one of the organizers of the event.

"How can you say the Dalai clique's violent attempts to sabotage the Beijing Olympics are 'peaceful actions'? We must tell people the truth and stop media distortion," she said.

To illustrate the truth, the demonstrators held some 50 placards with photos and data, which gave vivid examples of the Dalai clique's violent actions on innocent people in Lhasa and Western media's biased reports.

They are also infuriated by some members of the U.S. Congress, who support the Dalai clique out of their own political purposes.

Wu Xiaohui, a local Chinese community leader, told Xinhua that some U.S. politicians' attitude toward the Lhasa riots clearly demonstrated their "double standards" in foreign policy as well as their arrogance and disrespect for other people in the world.

(Xinhua News Agency April 20, 2008)