(Minghui.org) The Chinese Consulate in Chicago attempted to interfere with Shen Yun Performing Arts recently by requesting the theater to cancel the contract for a scheduled performance. The consulate is also suspected to be behind a home burglary and vandalism of a truck carrying a Shen Yun billboard ad. Mr. Sen Yang, Chairman of the Mid-US Falun Dafa Association, condemned the interference.
Shen Yun Performing Arts is headquartered in New York. It tours 100 cities in 20 countries every year. Its mission is to revive Chinese traditional culture. China's 5,000 years of history and culture has been systematically ravaged by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) over its 60 years in power, and it continues to this day with its attempts to interfere with Shen Yun.
Since Shen Yun was established in 2006, the CCP has been attempted to attack it through various means. Shen Yun programs not only highlight traditional Chinese culture, but also show the Party's persecution of Falun Gong in China.
A diplomat from the Chinese Consulate in Chicago went to the Peabody Opera House in St. Louis, Missouri on January 30, 2015 and asked the theater manager to cancel its contract with Shen Yun Performing Arts. The diplomat threatened the theater manager that the relationship between China and the US would be affected if the contract were not canceled.
Ms. Su, the person-in-charge of the hosting organization for the Shen Yun performance in St. Louis, said that the interference is similar to that experienced in many other areas.
She learned from the theater that the diplomat defamed Falun Gong. The theater refused the diplomat's request and Shen Yun will go on to perform as planned from February 20 to 22.
Shen Yun Performing Arts has performed in the theater since 2012. Ms. Su said, “The CCP does not like people to learn about Chinese traditional culture or the values that Shen Yun promotes.”
A home burglary occurred to Ms. Luxi Guan, Chairman of the Wisconsin Falun Dafa Association on February 3. The burglar did not take any of the readily available valuables except a laptop computer and passport.
The Wisconsin Falun Dafa Association hosted Shen Yun shows in Milwaukee and Appleton, Wisconsin. The laptop was bought in 2010 and contained records of her personal communications with her family in China, as well as details about Shen Yun promotions in the area. Ms. Guan believes that the information is now in the hands of CCP agents.
Shen Yun Performing Arts will stage a show at the Cadillac Palace Theatre, Chicago on March 6. A truck displaying a Shen Yun billboard was vandalized on February 19. The hosting organization suspects it was done at the behest of the Chinese Consulate in Chicago.
Mr. Qing Yang was in charge of the truck. He said, “I found that the floorboard on the driver's side had been pushed open on February 19. I looked carefully and noticed that the brake and accelerator pedals were covered with corrosive fluid. I checked around and found a one-inch-long cut in the throttle cable on the bottom of the truck. The corrosive liquid was damaging the exposed cable.
“Such vandalism is insidious as it does not cause an accident right away but will lead to a loss of control on the road due to brake and accelerator failure.
“The cable cut occurred once before, also. I did not realize it was intentionally damaged. We had the throttle cable changed. With the new cable also cut, it must be vandalism. Whoever did it was trying to cause a serious accident.”
Mr. Sen Yang, Chairman of the Mid-US Falun Dafa Association, condemned the Chinese Consulate in Chicago for its interference in several cities.
He said, “The CCP is afraid of Shen Yun's success. It fears the revival of Chinese traditional culture and exposure of the CCP's persecution of Falun Gong. Two high level officials who actively participated in the persecution, Bo Xilai and Zhou Yongkang, are now in prison. I advise the officials in the Chinese Consulate in Chicago not to follow the Party's policy of persecution. The perpetrators will be brought to justice.”