(Minghui.org) April 25, 2012, was the 13th anniversary of the April 25 peaceful appeal by over 10,000 Falun Gong practitioners in Beijing, China. To commemorate the event, British Falun Gong practitioners held a series of activities in London.
Practitioners demonstrate Falun Gong exercises in Trafalgar Square
Mr. Harris learned the facts about Falun Gong at the event
Mr. Ali signed the petition to stop the persecution of Falun Gong without hesitation
Practitioners demonstrate the exercises in London's Chinatown
Practitioners clarify the facts about Falun Gong in London's Chinatown
On Saturday, April 28, Falun Gong practitioners held two separate events, one in Trafalgar Square in downtown London and the other in London's Chinatown. They sought to clarify the facts about the persecution of Falun Gong that is happening in China, as well as to bring more awareness to the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) atrocious act of harvesting organs from living Falun Gong practitioners. These activities were also an appeal to the international community to help stop the persecution, as well as an opportunity to let more overseas Chinese learn the facts and not be misled by the CCP's lies, and to encourage them to withdraw from the CCP and its affiliated organizations.
Although it rained, many visitors from all over the world visited Trafalgar Square during the event. Practitioners displayed big banners, printed in both Chinese and English, with the words “Falun Dafa Is Good,” “The World Needs Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance,” “Please Help Stop the Persecution of Falun Gong,” and “Commemorating the 13th Anniversary of the April 25 Appeal by Over 10,000 Falun Gong Practitioners in Beijing.” They also displayed posters that showed how Falun Gong has been embraced in over 100 countries around the world, presented true stories of practitioners benefiting from the practice, and listed the facts of the CCP’s brutal persecution of Falun Gong over the past 13 years.
Different Countries, Same Message
People paused to read the posters and watch practitioners demonstrate the five sets of Falun Gong exercises. Some spoke with practitioners to find out more about the practice, while others signed the petition to show their support and call for an end to the persecution.
After hearing about the persecution, people from different countries all agreed that the international community should conduct an investigation into the CCP’s organ harvesting from living Falun Gong practitioners and help stop the persecution, and that Falun Gong practitioners should have freedom of speech, freedom of belief, and their basic human rights.
Two Italians signed the petition calling for an end to the persecution. One said: “This makes me feel very sad. This is 2012. How can such a persecution still be happening? Such things should not happen. Western countries should let people know about these things. Only by doing so can things change. What you are doing is very good.”
A musician from Australia said that CCP’s atrocious acts were terrible. He said, “Such behavior on the part of the CCP could lead to the extinction of human rights. The CCP is so evil, maybe it should become extinct.” He added, “Those big trading partners of China, such as Australia and America, should pressure the Chinese regime to stop the persecution.”
Mr. Retnam, another Australian, said that he had learned the Falun Gong exercises in BrisbaneBrisbaneBrisbane nine years ago. At that time, he felt a very strong energy field. He knew that the persecution has continued for many years and is still ongoing, which saddened him. Because he encountered Falun Gong again in the UK, he decided to start practicing again. He asked a London practitioner when and where the free teaching session would be held. After finding out that there would be a session the next day, he said, “I’ll come tomorrow!”
Mr. Harris, a Londoner who was in software management before retiring, stayed at the event for some time and talked to many practitioners to deepen his understanding of the persecution taking place in China. He said: “What’s happening in China [the persecution] is terrible. What you are doing is very good. An event like this to collect signatures is very powerful. You should talk to more people, tell them what’s happening in China, and publicize what the CCP has done.”
Mr. Harris went on to say that the CCP's organ harvesting from living people was really terrible and that it upset him. He said: “I support the international community in conducting an investigation to expose it, thereby protecting those innocent people. China is a great country with a long history, but what is happening now is very wrong.” He also said that since the murder of British citizen Neil Heywood in China hit the news in the UK, he no longer perceived the events in China to be so distant. He was glad the corruption of the CCP was being exposed to the public. “Even a British citizen!” he exclaimed in dismay. “They dared to cremate his body and destroy any evidence of a crime after his murder. Now we finally know what kinds of things the CCP does.”
Zayd Ali, a young man who has lived in the UK for many years, is studying history at a university. After finding out that Falun Gong practitioners were being persecuted for their belief, he signed the petition to stop the persecution without hesitation and said he wanted to know more about Falun Gong. He thought that this event in the center of London was very important, and that the practitioners should carry on with telling more people about the persecution of Falun Gong. He said: “It is very important, because that’s the way we maintain our democratic traditions and freedoms. People have the right to express themselves freely. They can express their own opinions and try to let people know the truth, especially as the persecution of human rights is not a good thing. If a regime wants to eradicate people’s beliefs, people need to defend themselves. The only hope is to be steadfast and stand up for one's own belief. It doesn’t matter how much understanding and support there might be—don’t think too much about the outcome. Falun Gong practitioners should insist on their own belief, because it is important. It is truly wonderful.”
Spreading the Facts in Chinatown
That same day, April 28, Falun Gong practitioners also held another event in London's Chinatown. Many overseas Chinese spoke to practitioners and went away with informational materials and DVDs. Many showed their appreciation and agreed to quit the CCP on the spot.
A young Chinese man approached practitioners and wanted to know more about Falun Gong. He said that because of his frequent trips overseas, he had seen Falun Gong practitioners' activities to raise awareness in different countries. Because today the situation in China is changing dramatically, he wanted to know more facts. He said, “I won’t be able to see this kind of information when I’m back in China.” He also eagerly asked about how to break through the firewall to browse overseas websites from mainland China.
Another young man said that he had been in Britain for over a year and had read some informational materials, so he had some understanding of Falun Gong. After further conversation with practitioners, he announced his desire to quit the CCP and its affiliated organizations.
After talking with practitioners, several young Chinese students studying overseas realized that Falun Gong was not how the CCP propaganda portrayed it back home. They said that when they were in China, they knew neither the truth about Falun Gong nor the facts about the CCP-staged Tiananmen Square self-immolation. After listening to practitioners' clarifications about the self-immolation incident and the CCP's lies, several young men immediately declared their withdrawal from the CCP and its affiliated organizations.
Category: April 25 Events
