Lawmakers Call for Investigation into Museum Vandalism
Senior US Republican lawmakers have formally requested the US Department of Justice (DOJ) to investigate the vandalism of a California museum that commemorates victims of the 1989 Tiananmen Square Massacre. The lawmakers expressed concerns that the incident may be linked to the Chinese Communist Party's (CCP) alleged campaign of transnational repression.
John Moolenaar, Chairman of the US House Select Committee on China, and Chris Smith, Co-Chair of the US Congressional-Executive Commission on China, sent a letter to Acting US Attorney General Todd Blanche urging the DOJ to determine whether the attack on the June 4 Massacre Memorial Museum was orchestrated by individuals acting on behalf of the CCP.
Accusations of Transnational Repression
Moolenaar accused the CCP of attempting to silence critics beyond China's borders through intimidation and repression. "The CCP is the biggest oppressor of Chinese people in the world, and it is constantly trying to silence its critics in the United States through its campaign of transnational repression," he said. He urged the DOJ and the FBI to investigate the vandalism to safeguard the rights of the Chinese diaspora and Chinese Americans who speak out against Beijing.
Preserving Historical Memory
Smith emphasized the importance of the museum in preserving the historical record of the Tiananmen Square Massacre, a subject that Chinese authorities have long censored. "The Museum preserves the irrefutable, brutal truth about the Tiananmen Massacre - the same truth that the CCP has spent nearly four decades actively denying and trying to bury," Smith said.
He added that if the vandalism was orchestrated or supported by individuals acting on behalf of the CCP, it would constitute "an attack on free speech, historical memory, and the safety of Chinese democracy advocates living in the United States." Smith stated that the United States must remain a place where survivors, dissidents, and members of the Chinese diaspora can express their views without fear of foreign intimidation, calling for a thorough investigation into the incident.
