(Minghui.org) Practitioners routinely hold activities in Chinatown in London to introduce Falun Dafa to people and expose the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) persecution.
At noon on September 30, they set up banners and a stand, and demonstrated the exercises. With the change of season, cold winds blew through London and several days of drizzle dampened the air. London’s Chinatown is a popular tourist attraction and despite the weather, the streets were crowded with tourists from all over the world. Many people stopped and watched the practitioners’ activity, talked with them and learned about Falun Dafa.
Practitioners routinely hold events in Chinatown to tell people about Falun Dafa and the CCP’s persecution
People sign the petition to condemn the CCP’s persecution
“Falun Dafa Is a Symbol of London”
Siobhan from Northern Ireland is studying photography. One of the assignments for her master’s degree was to create a short story. She and her classmates went to Chinatown and saw practitioners demonstrating the exercises.
She said that she’s now 23, but when she was only two or three years old she saw practitioners holding an event and meditating. As she grew up, she always saw practitioners sitting there, meditating and telling people about the persecution. She said because she was so young, she didn’t completely understand what was going on. But she stopped to read the banners, and each time she learned a little more about Falun Dafa and the CCP.
She explained why she chose to photograph practitioners in Chinatown for her short story, “I think they are a symbol of London, a kind of image. Every time I think of London, I think of them.”
She told practitioners, “I really respect the way you peacefully protest. You know how brutal the persecution is, but you choose to talk to people in a completely unintrusive way. You know when some groups express something, they can’t wait to put information in people’s faces. But through your gentle music and peaceful meditation you express your wishes very clearly.” She said that’s why she chose to document the practitioners’ peaceful and persistent protest for her assignment.
From Seattle to London
Normi from Seattle said that she met a practitioner there three years ago, who told her about the spiritual practice and gave her a paper lotus flower. Since then Normi has wanted to learn more about why the CCP persecutes Falun Dafa.
When she visited Chinatown, she noticed the practitioners’ activity. She immediately walked over and chatted with them. She said she still had the little lotus flower and wanted to know more about the persecution. She took out her mobile phone and showed practitioners a photo of the lotus flower that she was given in Seattle.
She said she was passionate and wanted to learn more about Falun Dafa. “Persecution of faith groups cannot be tolerated. Faith is everyone’s basic right. Persecution is wrong and must be stopped,” she said.
She told the practitioner that she had only been in the UK for a week when she encountered Falun Dafa again. The practitioner gave Normi some updated information about the persecution and a blue crystal lotus flower.
Normi from Seattle was happy to see Falun Dafa practitioners in London.
Brazilian Doctor: Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance Is What We need
Erica is a psychiatrist in São Paulo, Brazil. She stopped by the practitioners’ display in Chinatown and said that spiritual research was her specialty. She knows that meditation can reduce people’s anxiety and thus is beneficial to the peace and stability of communities and society.
“Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance is a high standard that is difficult to achieve,” she said. “It is difficult to do, but if people can at least try to follow these principles, they will benefit themselves and their communities. It’s something we need every day.”
She said, “If I can remember these three words in my daily life, maybe I will be more patient, calm and more present in the office. In the process of healing others, I will have more empathy for the patient’s pain.”
The practitioner showed her the link to learn the exercises online. She said that she’s willing to try meditation.
Erica, a psychiatrist, signs the petition.
Tourists: Hope to Help Stop the Persecution
Amanda from Canada and her friend Sebatiaf signed the petition. She said she heard about the CCP’s persecution of Falun Dafa many years ago, in Canada.
“What a horrible thing removing organs from people while they are alive is,” she said. She stressed that it should be stopped as it’s cruel. She said people have a duty to speak up to stop this kind of evil deed.
Amanda and her friend Sebatiaf
Sebatiaf from Mexico was sightseeing in London, said, “I hope I can do something to stop the persecution, which may bring about a big change. These persecutions are not only happening in China, but their impact on the outside world is very bad.
“We may work hard and do it little by little. At least my signature can play a little role in this process. Although Mexico is far away from China, I am sure that what happens in China has implications for all countries throughout the world. I didn’t hear much about the CCP scandal in Mexico. I learned about it when I visited Europe. It is shocking.”
Tallulah from Ireland said after signing the petition that live organ harvesting should never happen. She said, “I hope my signature can help. I’ve heard about the CCP’s violation of human rights from time to time. The persecution of religious groups cannot be tolerated.”
Kai is a local student in London. After she signed the petition, she said that the more people sign, the more people will pay attention to the persecution and help end it.
Kai signs the petition to condemn the persecution.
Background: What Is Falun Dafa and Why Is the CCP Persecuting It?
Falun Dafa (also known as Falun Gong) was first introduced to the public by Mr. Li Hongzhi in Changchun, China, in 1992. The spiritual discipline is now practiced in over 100 countries and regions worldwide. Millions of people who have embraced the teachings, which are based on the principles of Truthfulness, Compassion, and Forbearance, and have learned the five exercises, have experienced improved health and well-being.
Jiang Zemin, former head of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), perceived the spiritual discipline’s growing popularity as a threat to the CCP’s atheistic ideology and on July 20, 1999, he issued an order to eradicate the practice.
Under Jiang’s personal direction, the CCP established the 610 Office, an extralegal security organization with the power to override the police and judicial systems and whose sole function is to carry out the persecution of Falun Dafa.
Minghui.org has confirmed the deaths of thousands of practitioners as a result of the persecution over the past 23 years. The actual number is believed to be much higher. Countless practitioners have been imprisoned and tortured for their faith.
There is concrete evidence that the CCP sanctions the harvesting of organs from detained practitioners, who are murdered to supply China’s organ transplant industry.
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