Although technology induced artist James Powderly didn’t get a chance to shine the words “Free Tibet” on a building in Beijing, the mission was still a success. After being accosted out of bed by secret police, interrogated, and then hauled to a detention facility, word got out and the story received a lot of press. Plus a movement began, a t-shirt was designed, everyone (of the American activists) got home safe, and for the first time Twitter became relevant thanks to Earth Mouse. And it’s not like he didn’t get a chance to have some fun with his high tech tool, lighting up this message that’s slightly less important than freeing Tibet:
Late last night, ANIMAL reached newly freed activist Jeffrey Goldin by phone, one of the ten Americans released by Chinese authorities for pro-Tibetan activities during the Olympics—he was detained on August 19th along with James Powderly, Brian Conley, Jeffrey Rae, Michael Liss, and Tom Grant. Goldin described how he was jolted out of his hotel bed at around 2AM by eight secret police and later taken to a scary prison and interrogated about “Earth Mouse,” but more details on that later, first some set up.
With the 2008 Olympic games officially coming to end, brave US officials decided to finally step up diplomatic pressure on Beijing for the release of James Powderly and seven other Americans detained for their association with activist groups like a Students for A Free Tibet. It apparently worked and all eight were promptly deported to Los Angeles International airport yesterday, five days ahead of their ten day sentence. A lot more details will be forthcoming about the ordeal, but we did learn from co-conspirator and G.R.L. member Evan Roth that cops busted in Powderly’s hotel room ‘V for Vendetta style’ while he was sleeping and carted him away to the “Chong Wen Detention House”—more on that from them later.
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