Hundreds of Chinese human rights activists gathered at Liberty Sculpture Park in California’s Mojave Desert to see off a cross-country caravan aimed at raising awareness of the Chinese Communist Party’s human rights abuses and its growing global influence.

According to The Epoch Times, the rally was organised by Liberty Sculpture Park together with the Democratic Party of China, the China Democracy and Human Rights Alliance, and the Los Angeles China Democracy Platform. Nearly 30 vehicles joined the caravan at the outset, with plans to travel through at least 12 states before concluding in Washington, D.C.

The organisers issued an open letter on August 31 urging the American public to recognise Beijing’s intensifying efforts to intimidate and silence dissidents within the United States. They further demanded accountability from the Chinese Communist Party, accusing it of a cover-up of the COVID-19 outbreak, which they said caused devastating consequences worldwide.

Chen Weiming, a prominent dissident sculptor and founder of Liberty Sculpture Park, is leading the initiative. On the day the convoy departed, Chen directly blamed the CCP for the global health crisis, declaring that it had infected hundreds of millions and “murdered over 7 million individuals.” He added that while the pandemic itself had been catastrophic, the “ideological virus” spread by the CCP was far worse.

As The Epoch Times reported, Chen warned that the CCP’s influence extends far beyond politics and economics, describing its ideological reach as a serious threat to democracy worldwide. He urged the U.S. government and its citizens to remain vigilant and respond with “strong sanctions” against CCP repression across borders.

Liberty Sculpture Park in Yermo, California, has become a powerful symbol of resistance to Beijing’s authoritarian rule. The site features large-scale memorials, including tributes to the victims of the 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre, and has long been a rallying place for Chinese pro-democracy activists.

With the caravan, activists aim to amplify that message across America, calling on citizens and policymakers to take stronger measures to hold the CCP accountable for its record of human rights violations and expanding influence.