HOUSTON – Time’s up at Houston’s Chinese consulate.
Personnel were captured packing and leaving early Friday morning.
CHINESE CONSULATE HOUSTON CLOSURE: U.S. Department of State Diplomatic Security along with other law enforcement officials now standing guard after U.S. officials opened the doors up at the former Chinese consulate less than an hour ago. @KPRC2 #CHINA #Consulate pic.twitter.com/3JDitKVj9W
— Mario Diaz (@KPRC2Mario) July 24, 2020
The departing soundtrack? The voices of protestors.
Many Chinese nationals stood outside the consulate all day protesting the party in total control of the country they once called home.
Wen Mu one of the organizers tells Channel 2 Investigates she does not view inside the consulate as enemies, clarifying, “They are also Chinese people. The people is not the enemy, the party yeah, I think the party is.”
Mu quickly adding, “I want them to really leave. They need to respect America’s law.”
Passionate for her cause Mu also sides with her adopted homeland over the Trump administration’s decision to send everyone packing.
“This is the right thing to do,” Mu said.
The reason coming long before documents were burned on the consulate’s courtyard earlier this week. It is primarily focused over years of alleged espionage and corporate theft.
In a lengthy statement to Channel 2 Investigates, U.S. Rep. Michael McCaul writes.. “We rightly shut down the PRC’s Houston consulate because it was used as a hub for the CCP’s espionage from Texas to Florida particularly to help CCP steal American intellectual property, including medical research at MD Anderson.”
The neighborhood surrounding the consulate is where we found over one dozen parked vehicles with diplomatic plates. It’s also where we found, Debbie Mooksang. A Florida tourist who just happens to be staying down the block this week as everything unfolded. Shocking to her and other local residents.
“It’s a little scary, because here we are from out of town and all of this is happening and we have no idea what is going on, and we are Chinese!,” said Mooksang with laughter.
The departure though had a serious tone. HPD showed up with barricades. When asked about their presence HPD indicated to ask the consulate or call the U.S. State Department.
