(Minghui.org) Falun Gong practitioners in Indiana participated in the Independence Day Parade in Carmel, Indiana on July 4, 2014. This was the eleventh consecutive year that practitioners have participated in the parade, which is one of the city's most important celebration events.

Falun Gong practitioners participate in the Independence Day Parade in Carmel, Indiana

Falun Gong practitioners' float

Spectators happily accept paper lotus flowers from Falun Gong practitioners.

Welcomed in the Parade

A total of 120 groups participated in the Carmel parade. The Falun Gong procession was led by two banners, worded “Falun Dafa” and “Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance,” followed by a carefully decorated float. On the float was a blue-colored model of Falun Dafa's main book Zhuan Falun, surrounded by various colored lotus flowers symbolizing sacred and grace. Several practitioners demonstrated the exercises on the float. Many spectators acclaimed the beauty of the float.

Some spectators warmly waved to the procession. Some imitated the practitioners' hand gestures of the exercise demonstration. “Wonderful,” “Falun Dafa is good!” “It is the best procession today.” acclaimed the audience.

Former Member of Illinois General Assembly Signs Petition Opposing Forced Organ Harvesting

The celebration event continued at City Hall after the parade, where practitioners demonstrated the Falun Gong exercises in their booth. They introduced what Falun Gong is, exposed Chinese Communist Party (CCP)'s brutal persecution, and collected signatures on a petition opposing the persecution.

People signed the petition opposing the persecution and live organ harvesting after learning the facts.

Mike Boland, a candidate for secretary of finance of Indiana State, paused in the stall twice and talked with practitioners there. He expressed his sympathy and support to the Falun Gong practitioners being persecuted. He signed the petition calling on the UN Human Rights Council to immediately request that the CCP stop live organ harvesting from Falun Gong practitioners. He also condemned the CCP's atrocity.

Mr. Boland was formerly a member of the Illinois General Assembly, from 1995 to 2010. The General Assembly passed Resolution 1113, that he and 23 other members co-signed, which strongly condemned the CCP's live organ harvesting from Falun Gong practitioners. The resolution also called on then President Bush to raise the issue with the visiting former Chinese President Hu Jintao.

One elder lady, who signed the petition form with her daughter, said to a practitioner, “The Party's persecution of the righteous belief and its atrocity of live organ harvesting enraged me. I will tell my friends to sign the petition online. Please tell more people about the persecution to expose the Party's crimes.”