• The New York Times, Thursday, April 17, 2008 10:30 AM

Coca-Cola found itself on the hot seat at its annual shareholder meeting in Wilmington, Del., Wednesday as protesters chanted and waved picket signs and engaged CEO E. Neville Isdell in a rare public dialogue about China's human rights record in Tibet. Coke is of the most prominent sponsors of the Beijing Olympics.

"Will you tell the [International Olympic Committee] to stop taking the Olympic torch relay into Tibet, because Tibet belongs to Tibetans?" asked one protester. Isdell--who had just described first-quarter results that rose on the strength of international sales in countries like China--stood firm. The torch relay "has symbolized openness, it has symbolized hopes," he said.

In China, a different sort of backlash has been taking shape--against the companies from countries that seem to be putting pressure on China. French companies like Carrefour are a particular target because of the mayhem during the Paris leg of the torch relay. American brands like McDonald's and KFC have also been named as targets of a boycott because some American politicians seem to be supporting the Dalai Lama, whom Beijing blames for instigating violence in Tibet to disrupt plans for the Olympics.

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