The Tibet Post

Dharamshala: A prominent lawmaker from New Zealand has accused the security profile of Chinese vice president Xi Jinping of assaulting him, hitting him with an umbrella and snatching away the Tibetan flag he was holding during his one man protest on Friday.

The co - leader of the green party Russell Norman said that the incident took place on the steps of parliament as the Chinese vice president arrived for a meeting with officials, Norman said that he was surrounded by Chinese guards as he waved the Tibetan flag and shouted for democracy in the Himalayan nation that has been Chinese occupation since 1950.

"The Chinese security guards elbowed me out of the way, and then I got an umbrella over the top of me and they took the flag off my hands and trampled on it, "Norman was quoted as saying to reporters later on. The speaker of the New Zealand parliament Mr. Lockwood Smith called for an immediate and thorough investigation.

This is not the first time such an incident has occurred, in 2005 another protest by a green party member made Chinese security officials demand that the New Zealand police remove the lawmaker with his Tibetan flag, and prevent him from disturbing the visit of China National People's Congress Chairman Wu Bangguo.Chinese officials then said that the Tibetan flag was "causing gross offense to the Chinese visitors."

However Mr. Norman appears to have the support with the prime minister of New Zealand John key saying that ""New Zealanders have an absolute right to express their view and to demonstrate peacefully for their causes and Dr. Norman has that right like any other New Zealander,".

Key went on to say that "I guess in future (we need to) ensure that both the New Zealander's right to express their view and protest is preserved but the dignitary involved doesn't feel their safety and security is compromised."

The Chinese vice president, who is widely tipped by many to become China's leader when President Hu Jintao steps down in 2012, is currently on an official three-day visit for trade talks and related events and is traveling with about 100 senior business representatives. This trip to New Zealand is part of a four-nation tour that has already taken him to Bangladesh and Laos.