(Minghui.org) Eighteen senior citizens who practice Falun Gong were illegally arrested at a local study group in my area on June 5, 2016.
Thirteen of them were placed under “criminal detention”, while the rest were eventually released due to their advanced ages. Being placed under criminal detention usually indicates that further steps will be taken before formal arrest and prosecution.
We promptly mobilized a team to rescue them once we heard the news, so we could visit the police stations and police department to talk to the people there about Dafa and the persecution. They need to stop believing the Chinese Communist Party's (CCP) lies and propaganda about the practice, stop participating in the persecution and release the detained practitioners.
We conducted our rescue efforts with righteous courage and dignity.
Some practitioners started putting together suitable materials and drafting a formal appeal letter setting forth why those detained should be released. Some went to the arrested practitioners' families to persuade them to sign the letter and to peacefully appeal the unjust persecution.
Local practitioners also went to send righteous thoughts in close proximity to the police stations and the police department.
We went to the police station to find the officer in charge of the case early on the morning of June 8, but were told he had gone to the police department. By the time we arrived there many practitioners were already there sending righteous thoughts.
Unexpectedly, the entrance way was filled with police and plainclothes officers. Many of them were walking around checking people's IDs and videoing them.
There was a tremendous amount of pressure, and as the rescue coordinator, I immediately thought that my cell phone must have been tapped for this unexpected situation to occur.
Fellow practitioners had already reminded me to be careful with my cell phone, but I believed that I have ample righteous thought and didn’t pay enough attention to safety.
“What should we do? Go in or not go in?” I asked myself.
I recalled earlier that morning being told that four special agents from the State Security Bureau paid a visit to my work unit. I decided that we should not passively wait to be persecuted, and should take positive action to proceed with our plan to help save those inside.
The appeal letter signed by the family members was put aside and replaced with one with my own signature. I then led the family members of the detained practitioners to the entrance of the Police Department, but the guards only allowed me to enter.
Many police surrounded me as soon as I entered the building. I said sternly, “I came here of my own accord, merely with the intention to hand in an appeal letter.”
I was taken to an office where a senior figure of some sort pointed his finger at my forehead and yelled, “You are rotten to the core. You are truly rotten to the core. You dare to go against the Communist Party. You dare to lead so many people to demonstrate in front of the police department. You are a key figure in our province. Today, you have flown into our net. You can forget about going home.”
“You are so pitiable,” I replied. “What you say doesn’t matter. Only what my Master says counts.”
He shouted to the armed guards to take me to the underground interrogation room to “conduct an immediate interrogation.” Four or five guards then dragged me out of the office.
I shouted out, “Falun Dafa is good! The police are abducting good people.” My cries caught the attention of a lot of people, who rushed over to check out the commotion. But they couldn't help me.
I was forced onto a tiger bench in the interrogation room, with my limbs and torso shackled tight. I closed my eyes and settled down to send forth righteous thoughts.
Two police officers had planted themselves in front of me. One of them said, “We are here to ask you some questions according to the law. You are expected to provide honest answers.”
I told them that they are not qualified to question me about anything, as they are acting illegally and are committing a crime. I said, “I came here to hand in an appeal letter in accordance with the right of citizens provided under Constitution Law 41, but was abducted and restrained. I am questioning you now according to the law, what crime have I committed?”
The officer lowered his head and didn't reply. The other officer then spoke up. I found out later that he was from our local 610 Office. He said, “Don’t get agitated. Let’s communicate with each other calmly.”
I told him to remove the restraints. So, he ordered the guards to take off my handcuffs.
When I asked about the others, he replied, “That’s all I’m authorized to do.”
I told them, “Today, we are together under this unique circumstance and are engaged in this unique relationship. Although it is a bit bitter, I still consider this a positive relationship. Please think carefully about what I’m going to say.”
I started talking to them earnestly, “You were both involved in the arrests on June 5, right? Weren’t those you detained just a group of senior citizens who got together to read and talk to each other? Have they truly violated Article 300 of the criminal code, “using a cult organization to undermine the implementation of law”? The two of you should go and take a good look at our laws. No law defines Falun Gong as a cult.”
I continued, “It was Jiang Zemin, the former dictator, who called Falun Gong a cult. When working up a political campaign in the past, the words of the leaders were used as “laws” to be carried out, resulting in numerous miscarriages of justice in our country, bringing endless disasters and suffering.
“Now, our government promotes a new policy for the administration of justice, where every case will be registered and handled. In the future this can be used as evidence when it comes to bringing a criminal lawsuit against Jiang. 200,000 people have already filed criminal complaints against Jiang to the Supreme People's Procuratorate and the Supreme Court. Once Jiang is brought to justice, none of you can escape your accountability. I risk my life to come in here for your sake. Please take a careful look at my appeal letter.”
“You must keep your heads clear and your hands clean.” I warned them. “Don’t place yourselves in the wrong line. Don’t blindly follow Jiang to persecute good people.”
The two officers left with their heads down.
I looked around and saw a video and recording device. I imagine there were many people listening to what I said.
As I understand it, Master used the situation to give me a special platform to let more people know about Dafa and the persecution. By that time, only three armed guards were in the room with me.
I told them, “Young men, I was once a soldier. We were told that a soldier is duty-bound to obey orders. But we need to analyze what those words mean. If our superiors order us to arrest murderers and arsonists, of course we should do as we are told. A few days ago, you were ordered to arrest a group of good people who are about the same age as your grandparents. Can your conscience be at peace by doing this?”
“I understand, you had no choice but to act against your conscience for the sake of your livelihood. That is the evil of the Communist Party. It doesn’t allow people to have a good conscience.”
As I talked on, I burst into tears uncontrollably. Perhaps it was a manifestation of compassion in my heart.
I remembered Master said:
“When I was born, many Gods came down with me. From then on, this happened every year and Gods have been coming down. By the time I started to teach the Fa, those Gods came down like snowflakes—it was just that many. I calculated their ages now, and from when I started to spread the Fa till now, they would be young people around twenty-five years old, many of whom really have not been saved.” (“Fa Teaching at the 2016 New York Fa Conference”)
I collected myself and continued, “Young men, I’m not crying for my sake. I’m crying for yours. You have heard all that I've said here today. Please promptly quit the Party and withdraw from all its affiliated organizations. Then, you can expect to have a bright future.”
One group of armed guards left and another group came. In ten hours, I lost count of the number of people coming and going. At one point, one of them told another to listen carefully to my words.
My celestial eye is not open, but I could feel Master by my side encouraging me and supporting me.
The more I talked, the more eloquent I got, the more my heart brightened. I firmly believed that no one could persecute or hurt me, and that I would have no problem being released and returning home.
The officer handling the case showed up at about 4 p.m. with a file tucked under his arm. He announced that I was being criminally detained. He also produced a needle and ordered an armed guard to draw my blood for testing.
I raised my voice, “I am Master Li Hongzhi’s disciple. Nobody has the right to touch me.” The officer stopped in his tracks and said that he would be back with some handcuffs. I immediately put my right palm erect in front of my chest and sent forth righteous thoughts.
Just then, we heard a female voice screaming and crying. I thought it was a practitioner being tortured, but it turned out to be my wife.
A few practitioners went to find my wife, a non-practitioner, and told her what had happened to me. She immediately made the decision to go to the police department with my 93-year-old father in his wheelchair. The practitioners drove them there.
A director at the police department threatened to arrest her if she caused trouble. My wife was not afraid. She stretched out her arm and said, “Go ahead and have me arrested. All these years our family has been harassed to no end. We have lived without a day's peace. My son is 30 years old and couldn’t settle down to have his own family, and my father-in-law is in a wheelchair. If you want trouble every day, come and arrest me. It will be a relief for me.”
The director soon made a hasty retreat.
The police didn't seem to know what to do, and agreed to withdraw all criminal charges against me and let me go.
Fellow practitioners were under extreme pressure, but all stuck around outside the police department from 9 a.m. until 8 p.m., when I was released.
On my way out, the head of the police and other officers came over to shake my hand and see us off.
I uncovered many attachments through this experience, but yet to cultivate away. Such as my attachment to vainglory.
From the moment I was let out of the police department, I have continued to hear praise from all around; about how I cultivate well and have ample righteous thought, how only I could have been able to come out unscathed, and how even my family members are extraordinary, and so on.
There was also criticism of how I have conducted myself as a coordinator to create this situation in the first place.
Sadly, I failed to look at these as tests to improve my xinxing.
I felt pleased with myself, when admiration was cast my way, and displeased with the individuals who disapproved of me, choosing to believe their motive was born out of jealousy.
There is also my attachment to self-importance.
The manifest in my attitude of pomposity by ignoring warnings from practitioners on my casual handling of my cell phone, in my trusting the sufficiency of my righteous thoughts, and in my making light of such issues to safety and prudence.
I came to realize any human notion and attachments will result in loopholes that the old forces will take advantage of, to use as their so-called “justification” to persecute us.
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Category: Improving Oneself
