(Minghui.org) Practitioners in Philadelphia held a rally in Chinatown on August 15, 2026, to expose the brutal persecution by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), including forced organ harvesting. Many passersby signed petitions to support Senate Bill S.4009, the Falun Gong and Victims of Forced Organ Harvesting Protection Act.

After they understood how the CCP lies in numerous political campaigns, and in the suppression of Falun Gong, more than 20 Chinese people renounced their memberships in the CCP and its related organizations.

Practitioners rallied in Chinatown on August 15, 2026. (Minghui.org)

Practitioners displayed banners during the event. (Minghui.org)

People stopped to talk with practitioners and signed petitions that urged an end to the tragedies caused by the CCP. (Minghui.org)

Pushing for the Passage of S.4009

The event was hosted by the Greater Philadelphia Falun Dafa Association. Senate Bill S.4009, Falun Gong and Victims of Forced Organ Harvesting Protection Act, is a bipartisan bill that was jointly proposed by Texas Republican Senator Ted Cruz and Oregon Democratic Senate Jeff Merkley. It was approved by the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on July 27, 2026.

This legislation aims to sanction foreigners involved in, or assisting in, illegal organ trafficking, mandates a full report from the U.S. State Department, and prevents U.S. medical institutions from assisting in human rights abuses during organ transplantation. The House version of the Falun Gong Protection Act (HR 1540) was unanimously passed by Congress in May 2025.

Recounting Near-Organ Harvesting Experiences

Tian Zhongfeng, a Falun Gong practitioner originally from Anhui Province, China, recounted her experience of narrowly escaping organ harvesting after she was arrested in March 2006.

“I was handcuffed to a hospital bed. The doctor came to check on me every morning and said I was in good health. Although the doctors and nurses refused to talk to me, they kept injecting me with medication, which caused me great pain,” Tian recalled. “When I overheard a security guard talking to his family, and learned that it was an operating room for heart surgery, I began to suspect that I was about to become a victim of forced organ harvesting.”

While she was feeling dizzy due to the medication, a strange man came and looked her over. “When I told him that I had been arrested for practicing Falun Gong, the security guard called him to the balcony to talk,” Tian continued. “The security guard said, ‘She’s in good health, but she has a history of head injuries.’ When the man left, he came to look at me again without saying anything. The way he looked at me was very strange, as if he wanted to buy me.”

After struggling and crying for help, a kind-hearted doctor quietly offered assistance. Another nurse administered different medications to Tian, so during his rounds the next day the doctor determined that her organs had been damaged. Tian was then sent back to the labor camp and her family was notified to pick her up. She eventually escaped from China and fled to the United States in 2012.

“When I got home, my bones felt as cold as if they were frozen, while my skin felt as hot as if it were on fire. My legs were stiff and I was in waves of pain,” Tian added.

Medical Community: Exposing the Vicious and Not Becoming an Accomplice

Dr. Jessica Russo, a representative of Doctors Against Forced Organ Harvesting (DAFOH), spoke at the rally. (Minghui.org)

Dr. Jessica Russo from Doctors Against Forced Organ Harvesting (DAFOH) addressed the rally, “The most egregious form of persecution against Falun Gong practitioners, one more evil than anything we have seen in our lifetimes, is forced organ harvesting.” “Forced organ harvesting is the killing of innocent people for their organs. In China, prisoners of conscience make up the victim pool, with Falun Gong practitioners being the largest group of victims, as well as Uyghurs, Tibetans, house Christians, and others.

“Forced organ harvesting in China is driven by financial gain; it is considered to be a $9 billion industry, but primarily, it is a crime of genocide,” she continued. “Transplant centers in the U.S., and there are many in Pennsylvania, train Chinese surgeons who will likely go back to China and commit these murders. Pharmaceutical companies—28 in total, mostly based in the U.S.—are conducting clinical trials in China for transplants, and medical supply companies are providing materials for China’s transplants.”

That is why Russo urged people to contact their lawmakers and sign the petition urging them to support Senate Bill S. 4009. “Holocaust survivor Elie Wiesel once said, ‘Silence encourages the tormentor, never the tormented,’” she explained.

“I Urge All Politicians, Regardless of Party Lines, to Please Say Yes to This Bill”

Aaron Bashir, president of the nonprofit organization American Real Voice, addressed the rally. (Minghui.org)

Aaron Bashir is president of the nonprofit organization American Real Voice. He emphasized that it is a moral responsibility to stand up for persecuted groups across faiths and political parties.

“Just imagine that because of your beliefs and your faith, someone takes you to a hospital and takes your organs away,” Bashir said. “Your kidney is gone, your heart is gone, your liver is gone, and no one even knows about it. By the time your family finds out, it is too late... I urge all of my colleagues, I urge all politicians, regardless of party lines, to please say yes to this bill to support and protect the Falun Gong community.”

Delaware State Representative Michael Smith (Minghui.org)

During an interview before the rally, Delaware state Representative Michael Smith said that the United States must defend victims of authoritarian regimes.

“The atrocities committed by the Chinese Communist Party against the people have been horrendous, and we need to take a stand about that as Americans,” Smith said. “I think America has always been a welcoming country, and sometimes we have to signal to the people living here in our country who have come from those oppressive areas that we have their back.”

Dr. Mike Katz (The Epoch Times)

Dr. Mike Katz, is a Republican candidate for the U.S. Senate from Delaware and a former state senator, expressed support for Falun Gong practitioners during an interview before the rally.

“As a physician, I can tell you I’ve spent my career looking out for the safety and health of every human being, not only in the U.S. but around the world,” Katz explained. “And I call on our senators and members of Congress to make sure they are signing on and supporting bills for our government to cease forced organ harvesting in China.”

Learning the Facts and Taking Supportive Actions

During the rally, many passersby stopped to learn about the persecution, and signed a petition that urges senators to pass the bill.

Jesse Deussing (Minghui.org)

Referring to the organ harvesting, Jesse Deussing, a business owner from Huntingdon, Pennsylvania, said, “Oh my gosh! I can’t believe they are doing this kind of stuff. It’s illegal, and they shouldn’t be able to do it. It’s not right—they kill people [while they are] alive. I know that’s horrible, and they shouldn’t be able to do that. We need to call somebody, and we are going to call the governor to tell him he needs to stop this and help out.”

Amy, a security professional from Alexandria, Virginia, said, “Today we learned about the CCP’s atrocities of forced organ harvesting in China. I knew a little about it before, but I didn’t realize it was this serious. This is extremely important, and we need more protests like this to spread this information and the truth.”

Security professional Amy (center) and artist Mula (right) signed the petition supporting Senate Bill S. 400. (Minghui.org)

Mula, an artist and writer from Maryland, also signed the petition. “Official action is needed. We have representation, and we need to speak to those representatives so they listen. A petition is one way to do that,” she said.