Protesters held candles and chanted during a vigil in front of Calgary's Chinese consulate. (CBC)

The first two of what may be a number of Calgary protests against China's human rights record were held peacefully Thursday outside the city's Chinese consulate.

Students for a Free Tibet organized a candlelight vigil that attracted about 200 people, hours before the Beijing Olympics' opening ceremonies, to bring attention to China's treatment of Tibetans

"China took on this prestigious thing and promised that they would improve their human rights record, but they really didn't," Calgarian Tsering Sampho said while holding a candle.

"No one remembers that. Everyone's all wrapped up in the hype of the Olympics … and forgetting Tibet."

China has been criticized for how it treats people who support Tibet's fight for independence.

Students for a Free Tibet said they plan to hold more demonstrations during the Olympics. (CBC)

Police watched the demonstration from across 6th Avenue S.W. but the crowd dispersed peacefully after about an hour of chanting and holding up signs and flags.

Earlier in the day, Falun Gong members also held a protest in front of the consulate, alleging abuse of prisoners held by China and objecting to the censorship of their websites, which have been blocked on the internet.

Winston Liu, who spent three years in a Beijing jail for downloading information from censored Falun Gong websites, said the group opposes the Chinese government, not the Olympics.

Both Falun Gong and Students for a Free Tibet plan several more protests in front of the consulate during the Olympics.