(Clearwisdom.net) Ms. Tao Lisha is a Falun Gong practitioner who lives in Washington, DC. She has peacefully protested the persecution of Falun Gong by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) at the Chinese Embassy for many years. Facing the CCP's brutal suppression over these past ten years, Ms. Tao and her fellow practitioners have persistently clarified the truth.

Ms. Tao Lisha took part in a large gathering in front of Capitol Hill.

The peaceful protest in front of the Chinese Embassy has continued for the past ten years.

1. Origin of the Peaceful Protest in Front of the Chinese Embassy

On July 20, 1999, the Chinese Communist Party started to persecute Falun Gong. Faced with such serious persecution, practitioners from all parts of the United States got together on the lawn in front of Capitol Hill to call on the United States Government to pay attention to this matter. Some practitioners took time off from their jobs and traveled long distances to participate. At its height, the total number reached one to two thousand practitioners.

Afterwards, several local practitioners went directly to clarify the truth in front of the Chinese Embassy. Since it is the CCP that persecutes Falun Gong, practitioners went to the Chinese Embassy to peacefully protest the persecution and to clarify the facts. This activity has continued in front of the embassy for years.

In the beginning, there were only two practitioners taking turns sitting in front of the cmbassy, peacefully protesting the persecution and clarifying the truth. Later, more and more practitioners took part. Whenever they could, the younger practitioners also came before or after work. Practitioners have peacefully resisted the persecution for ten years. There are always practitioners in front of the Chinese Embassy, just as they have been every single day of these past 3,650 days.

2. Peaceful Appeal Moved Embassy Personnel

One evening in November 1999, Ms. Tao said an embassy staff member came out again to argue with her. The person told her that he had already looked over Zhuan Falun, and then he proceeded to say many slanderous things about Dafa. Ms. Tao said, "Good for you. You received blessings after you read this book." She took her copy of Zhuan Falun out of her bag and asked, "Since you have looked over this book, which part do you think is evil?" The other person had no answer and could only stutter.

Ms. Tao continued, "I have all the Falun Gong books. If you find anything evil in any one of them, you may bring it to my attention, and we can discuss it together." She also kindly reminded him not to believe the false reports spread by CCTV and Xinhua News Agency (both CCP media) because people all over the world knew that they lied and that the CCP slandered Falun Gong. In addition, Ms. Tao told the person that she would try her best to help any official in the Chinese Embassy to understand Falun Gong and she encouraged them to discuss their questions with her.

Finally, Ms. Tao told the employee that people shouldn't allow such a terrible persecution as this to take place against the Chinese people, and, "since we are all Chinese, we should do our best to stop the persecution--whether one is an official who works at the embassy or simply an ordinary overseas Chinese." Ms. Tao had a friendly conversation with the person afterwards. He warmly held Ms. Tao's hands before he left and said, "I will remember every word you told me."

In the winter when embassy personnel were sweeping away the snow from the walkway, Ms. Tao always wished them good morning and commend them for their good deed. The embassy personnel also wished her a good morning. They could see the Falun Gong practitioners peacefully sitting there every day and knew that Ms. Tao was also a practitioner. When Ms. Tao said, "Falun Dafa is good," they nodded in agreement.

One staff member who had left the Chinese Embassy even secretly told Ms. Tao that there are monitors everywhere within a 100-meter radius of the Chinese Embassy building. Even the personnel inside the embassy are being monitored.

Ms. Tao replied that Falun Gong is open and aboveboard, and practitioners don't worry about the identity of anyone who comes to ask for information. Instead, practitioners really hope that the embassy personnel will come to know truth and be clear about how evil the CCP is. She urged them to do the "Three Withdrawals" (withdraw from the CCP and its affiliated organizations, the Communist Youth League and the Young Pioneers). She kindly told those who worked for the CCP, "You earn your living by working for the CCP; however, the only thing the CCP can do to you is control your body; your mind is free. You need to understand that Falun Dafa is good in order to ensure a bright future for yourself!"

3. The Kindhearted American Police and the Support of Ordinary Citizens

Over these past ten years, Falun Gong practitioners have enjoyed the support of the American police and citizens in their peaceful appeal in front of the Chinese Embassy. Ms. Tao told one story of a kindhearted policeman.

Two days after the September 11, 2001, attacks, Ms. Tao went to the embassy as usual. She found six policemen there and told them that how sad she was about the 9/11 disaster. However, she said she still came to the embassy because the CCP are also terrorists. When she asked whether she could stay in front of Chinese Embassy as usual, the policemen agreed without any hesitation. The police were working overtime at that time.

One time, a policeman was sitting on a bench resting. Ms. Tao went up to him to greet him. The policeman said that he was dead tired after working twelve hours every day. She said, "Since you are so busy, you don't have to bother coming here. It has been always peaceful because Falun Gong practitioners sit here, and it will be peaceful forever." That policeman answered, "You have one hundred to one thousand practitioners here, each of whom is a Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance person. Do you know why I come here? I am really beat after work. When I feel so tired, I come here to sit for a while, because sitting here makes me feel very comfortable. Every time I feel tired, I always want to come and sit here."

When that policeman became aware that the CCP had incited Chinese Americans to beat practitioners, he became so agitated that he took out his handcuffs and waved them towards the Chinese Embassy. He told Ms. Tao, "Lisha, if there is anyone who dares to treat you like that, call me at once. I will handcuff him right away. This is America here, the CCP has no say here, and it's my responsibility [to protect you]." Very soon afterwards, that policeman was promoted.

One winter, an elderly woman came over to talk with practitioners and then drove away. After a while, she came back, with a thermos in her car filled with hot tea. She served the tea to the practitioners, saying, "It's too cold now. I know Chinese dislike coffee, so I especially prepared hot tea for you."

This lady often visits the practitioners. One time when they were sitting in a large group, she told them, pointing at a magnolia tree, "I watch you every day. In my heart, you are the great trees; you are the great mountains!"

4. A Dignitary's Relative Quits the CCP

Ms. Tao said that all the Chinese Embassy personnel have observed how Falun Gong practitioners have conducted themselves during these past ten years. There have never been any violent incidents. Before the persecution, she even didn't know where the Chinese Embassy was located. What would an elderly lady do there? In addition, she never thought that she would have a reason to go there. However, the persecution is so serious that Falun Gong practitioners will continue to peacefully protest there every day, no matter how hot it is in summer or how cold it is in winter, until the persecution ends.

During these ten years, Ms. Tao has to spend four hours every day traveling to the embassy. There is another elderly practitioner named Ms. Xue who is 89 years old. She also comes here every day. Ms. Tao even tried to persuade her not to come because of her age. However, Ms. Xue replied, "It doesn't matter. I insist on coming here to peacefully protest the persecution. I need to do well on my cultivation path."

Several days ago when Ms. Tao participated in a group activity in front of Capitol Hill, she clarified the truth as usual to a group of Chinese people. Among them there was the brother of a well-known government dignitary. When she mentioned how more and more mainstream Chinese are quitting the CCP, a man standing near the dignitary's brother asked, "You dare to mention quitting the CCP to him? Do you know who he is?" Ms. Tao answered, "I don't know who he is. I'm just aware that he is my fellow Chinese. I hope that he will have a bright future. Even though a dignitary stands in front of me, I will sincerely advise him to quit this evil group known as the CCP in order to give his family and their generations of unborn children a bright future!" Afterwards, that dignitary's brother also quit the CCP.

5. Epilogue

So far, more than 57 million people have quit the CCP. Everyone has a knowing side, and sentient beings should choose kindness. Ms. Tao said, "We will continue in our efforts until the persecution ends."

This spirit is the expression of hundreds of thousands of Falun Gong practitioners. The spirit of great benevolence and great forbearance will surely awaken more sentient beings with a sense of justice and conscience, and allow the world to witness the eternal radiance of Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance.

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Category: Rallies & Protests