“I am delighted about this fundraising campaign. People in China have found an extraordinary and creative way to criticize the authorities’ treatment of Ai Weiwei. The campaign also testifies to people’s desire for justice and their loathing of arbitrary acts. That I fully sympathize with! So I, too, have decided to make a symbolic contribution.
Ai Weiwei is admired all over the world for his creative genius as well as for his peaceful struggle for human rights and democracy. I call upon the Chinese authorities to ensure that he can once again exercise his right to free speech and movement.”