(Minghui.org) July 20, 2017, marks 18 years of Falun Gong practitioners' peaceful resistance to the Chinese Communist Party's (CCP) persecution of Falun Gong in China.

Practitioners around the world have campaigned nonstop for an end to the suppression. On July 15, practitioners in San Diego and Chicago each held their own candlelight vigils in memory of their fellow practitioners who have died in the persecution.

San Diego

Falun Gong practitioners in San Diego do the exercises together at La Jolla Cove, a famous tourist site.

Tourists stop to read the about the persecution.

Many tourists noticed the Falun Gong practitioners doing the exercises and their display with information about the persecution. Some took pictures, and many said it was hard to imagine that the CCP would persecute such a beautiful practice.

One woman was moved to tears as she read the posters. She said she wanted to do something to help stop what was happening to practitioners in China, a common sentiment expressed by those who learn the truth about the persecution.

According to statistics on the Minghui website, in 2017 alone, 431 Falun Gong practitioners have so far been sentenced to prison terms.

Candlelight vigil to remember those who have died in the persecution. The signs read “Stop Persecution of Falun Gong,” “Stop Organ Harvesting from Falun Gong Practitioners,” and “Bring Jiang to Justice.”

Chicago

That same day, Falun Gong practitioners in Illinois held a peaceful demonstration and candlelight vigil in front of the Chinese Consulate in Chicago.

The banners say, “Together to End the Persecution of Falun Gong in China” and “Bring Jiang to Justice” in front of the Chinese Consulate in Chicago.

Candlelight vigil in Chicago mourns the practitioners who have died in the CCP persecution.

Ms. Liu, a representative of the Mid-USA Falun Dafa Association, recounted the journey of Falun Gong's unyielding resistance to the CCP persecution over the past 18 years. She said, “What Falun Gong is doing looks ordinary, but is, in fact, a great and brave undertaking to oppose the persecution. Faith is what sustains us.”

Falun Gong practitioner Mr. Tang Dongbai believes that justice will win out.

Mr. Tang Dongbai was imprisoned several times in China for practicing Falun Gong. He and his colleague Ms. Gao Rongrong used to serve together as assistants at a group exercise site at Lu Xun Academy of Fine Arts. Ms. Gao later died as a result of brutal torture.

Mr. Tang said, “I'm sad the persecution is still going on in China. I hope it will end soon and that Falun Gong practitioners will regain their freedom. Evil and good both exist in our world, but I strongly believe that justice will eventually win out!”

Related article in Chinese:
http://www.minghui.org/mh/articles/2017/7/19/圣地亚哥法轮功学员纪念反迫害十八年（图）-351320.html