LONDON , England ( CNN ) -- Protesters draped themselves in the colorful flag of Tibet and shouted slogans at the Chinese embassy in London on Saturday at the start of a demonstration to mark the 50th anniversary since the Tibetan uprising against China . Protesters have gathered in London to mark the 50th anniversary of the Tibet uprising . `` Tibetans in Tibet -- we are with you ! '' they shouted . `` China , China , China -- out , out , out ! '' The small but fervent group marched from the embassy through west London to Trafalgar Square , where they were due to hear a speech by Thomas Shao Jiang , a Chinese dissident who was one of the student organizers of the Tiananmen Square protest in Beijing in 1989 . `` I think it 's important that Tibet is kept in the world 's eye , '' protester Chris Last told CNN amid placards declaring `` 50 years too long '' and `` We are Tibetans , not Chinese . '' While Tibet is technically autonomous from the central Chinese government , its current government is directed from Beijing . The Dalai Lama , traditionally the spiritual and political leader of the Tibetan Buddhists , lives in exile in India . Tuesday marks the 50th anniversary of a failed 1959 uprising against Beijing 's rule that sent the Dalai Lama into exile . Protest organizers said the march was meant to draw public attention to what they say is a deepening crisis a year after China cracked down on protests across Tibet . `` ( British Prime Minister ) Gordon Brown and other world leaders must respond urgently and publicly to the Tibet crisis by taking immediate action , '' said Stephanie Brigden , director of Free Tibet . `` They should demand that China calls off its security stranglehold in Tibet as an essential first step towards backing the Dalai Lama 's initiative in finding a long-term and negotiated settlement to China 's occupation . '' Tibetan Buddhists say they resent the slow erosion of their culture amid an influx of Han Chinese , the largest ethnic group in China . That resentment spilled over last March , when Buddhist monks initiated peaceful anti-Chinese protests in the regional capital , Lhasa , on the 49th anniversary of the uprising . The protests soon turned violent , with demonstrators burning vehicles and shops . Some protesters advocated independence from China , while others demonstrated against the growing influence of the Han Chinese in the area and other regions of China with ethnic Tibetan populations . The subsequent crackdown left 18 civilians and one police officer dead , according to the Chinese government . Tibet 's self-proclaimed government-in-exile put the death toll from the protests at 140 . China accuses the Dalai Lama of fomenting the discord in his homeland -- a charge he denies . `` The Dalai Lama demanded the establishment of the so-called 'Greater Tibetan area ' on a quarter of the Chinese territory , to drive away Chinese army stationed there guarding the Chinese territory , and to drive away Chinese people of other ethnic groups who lived there for generations . Is such a person a religious figure ? '' Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi said Saturday . `` The conflict between him and us is not religious conflict , human rights conflict , ethnic conflict , nor cultural conflict , '' Yang said . `` The conflict is whether or not to maintain China 's unification , and whether or not to permit Tibet to be separated from the Chinese territory . '' The Dalai Lama has said he does not advocate violence or a separate and independent Tibet . He has said he wants a genuine autonomy that preserves the cultural heritage of the region . `` I 'm just disgusted with the way the Chinese behave towards the Tibetans . Even if you accept that Tibet has been swallowed up by China , why ca n't they give to them autonomy , respect their religion , their culture ? '' protester Bob Hunt said Saturday . `` These are peaceable people , one of the most peaceable people in the world . '' Protester Shobha Trivedi said she hoped the protest march would make people more aware of the situation inside Tibet . `` I feel as a human being , what ( the ) Chinese are doing for 50 years , nobody 's bothering with it , '' she said . `` And it 's a real shame on everyone . ''
London protesters marking first anniversary of Tibetan Buddhists uprising against London . Dalai Lama , traditional spiritual and political leader of Tibetan , in exile . Protesters claim situation in London is getting worse .