Chicago, ILLINOIS. March 10, 2008: More than 150 individuals from Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, and Wisconsin took to the streets of Chicago on a very cold day to demonstrate against China's illegal occupation of Tibet, to support the "Return March to Tibet," and to link the atrocities created in Tibet by China with the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

About 120 of the participants were Tibetans with most between 15 to 24 years of age. Accompanying all the walkers were 11 10-foot puppets dressed in Chupas and looking like 10 of the core walkers on the "Return March to Tibet." The 11th puppet looked like The Panchen Lama, Gendun Choekyi Nyima.

The walkers took up 2 Chicago city blocks and they were escorted by a number of law enforcement patrol cars and officers on foot.

After proceeding down one of Chicago's busiest streets, the walkers made their way to China's Consulate.

At the Consulate, there were opening prayers recited by Tibetan Monks, a long life prayer for His Holiness The Dalai Lama, and speeches by representatives of a number of groups. His Holiness The Dalai Lama's March 10th speech was read as well. China's flag was also cut up into small pieces in front of the Consulate. The event ended with the singing of Long-sho and the Tibetan National Anthem.

During the entire event at the Consulate, the staff inside could be seen peeking through the curtains. While it was quite a cold day, a number of windows were also open in the Consulate.

Some reporters and photographers accompanied the walkers the entire time including staff from Chicago's most influential newspaper, the Chicago Tribune.

The day before the March 10th activities, about 40 Tibetans and others gathered at the Tibetan Community Center in Chicago to create the puppets, banners, and other materials.

All of the events in Chicago were coordinated by the Tibetan Alliance of Chicago, Students for a Free Tibet-Madison, Students for a Free Tibet-Chicago, Students for a Free Tibet-Minnesota, and the International Tibet Independence Movement.