By Xiao Yi

News from Epoch times, April 25, 2002: Though Jiang Zemin was a "no-show" for the previously arranged press conference during his visit in Germany, his odd foibles made the German people stare dumb-founded. Following are some examples of his strange behaviour and requests:

1. Hiring Greeting Teams

Although Jiang brought an entourage of 150 attendants with him, Chinese Embassies had to spend money to hire "greeting teams" in every major city Jiang visited. In order not to embarrass him, all demonstration groups were banned and had to remain several hundred meters away from Jiang. Only the greeting team hired by the Chinese Embassy could be in the front line to welcome Jiang.

2. An Ambulance Following Escort Vehicles

Comparing this German visit with Jiang's visit in Hong Kong last year, there was a decided difference: an ambulance following the motorcade in Germany replaced panzers and warships that were used in Hong Kong. A great number of German policemen were forced to keep streets open for him. Wolfsburg Volkswagen Automobile Works even presented him with a gift of an ambulance.

3. Avoiding Major Roads; Taking Smaller Detour Routes; No Press Conference

Ever since Jiang Zemin began brutally suppressing Falun Gong in 1999, he does not dare to travel on main streets or use main entrances. During his visit in Germany he not only took smaller detour byways and changed his travel route to avoid Falun Gong peaceful appeals, but also dared not attend a press conference.

4. Fear of the Colour Yellow

Falun Gong practitioners in Germany dressed in yellow or blue coloured fabrics, wore yellow scarves and held yellow banners. They shouted, "Falun Dafa is Good," which was like a "cannonball turning Jiang Zemin into a drowned mouse." Therefore, Jiang's fear of the colour yellow became a major feature of his visit in Germany. He even threatened the German government with cancellation of his visit if he would see any yellow colours. The German Government, therefore, issued an order to not let Jiang see any yellow colour. This went so far as a policemen even interrogating a tourist about her yellow cup, to comply with Jiang's fear.

5. Security Guards in His Pocket

Jiang had numerous security guards--twenty strong men--surrounding and protecting him. They seemed to be in Jiang's pocket. They could show up and beat people anywhere there was a perceived need of brutal force.

6. Manhole Covers in Certain City Streets were Welded Shut

7. Scenes Resembling Tiananmen Square

In China it is well known that policemen brutally maltreat defenceless people in public, which is rare in democratic countries. Jiang's visit in Germany broadened Germany's views. When Jiang's motorcade arrived in front of the Hotel Kempinski in Dresden on April 11, 2002 around noon, a slender woman emerged from among the spectators and cried out the name "Falun Gong." Immediately, a Chinese secret service man pounced on the woman, grabbed her by the throat and choked her. Close on his heels came two German security officers who dragged the woman from the scene. Other policemen tried their best to stop reporters from taking photos. That scene was an example of blatant violence. This media report brought the Jiang regime's treatment of Falun Gong practitioners on Tiananmen Square to the Germans.

8. Toads Show up in Advertisements

Two days before Jiang arrived in Germany, every train station in Germany put up advertisements showing three toads. The caption across the top read "Look up." Two toads are standing on each side, their half-turned heads looking upwards. A white-bellied, big toad appears in the middle, with a crown on his head. The bottom caption read, "The big one is coming out." Nothing could describe the situation better than this advertisement--the demon toad is about to come out and his right-hand assistants are preparing the public for the event.

9. Railway Station was Completely Blocked

In order to safeguard Jiang, 725 security personnel were dispatched in Dresden. Jiang had decided to take a special train to Wolfsburg and visit the Volkswagen Automobile Works. Before he left, Jiang requested that all of the railway station be blocked to outsiders.

10. Asians are Not Wanted

Jiang was scared to see Chinese people. At the beginning of his German visit he exerted pressure on the local police to force all registered Chinese guests to leave the Adlon Hotel in Berlin where he would stay. Later, he prohibited all persons with Asian features to come near him.