(Minghui.org) Practitioners participated in a street market in Rego Park, New York, on October 5, 2024. The weather was beautiful, and the event was well received by the community. People stopped by the Falun Gong booth to learn about the practice and the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) persecution.

Many people signed the petition calling to support the Falun Gong Protection Act. Others signed up for the nine-day free teaching class, or learned the exercises during the event. Some said that they hoped to see the Falun Gong booth at every street market event.

Practitioners participated in a street market in Rego Park on October 5, 2024.

Visitors learn the Falun Gong exercises.

Rego Park is close to Elmhurst, Corona, Forest Hills, and Middle Village. The residents are diverse, including many from Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Albania, Israel, Romania, Iran, Colombia, South Asia, China, Bulgaria, and South Korea. There was a constant stream of pedestrians, and the Falun Gong booth was very lively. Many people stopped at the booth and talked with practitioners, who prepared leaflets in English and other languages and distributed them.

Chinese American: I Admire and Support Falun Gong

A woman who immigrated to the U.S. from China more than 30 years ago gave the practitioners a thumbs up and said, “I’m a Christian. I sympathize with you Falun Gong practitioners. You have been persecuted so badly in China, but you still persist in your faith, truth, and human rights. For this reason, I admire and support you.”

She said, “Christianity and Falun Gong both teach people to be kind, and value family, morality, and traditional values.”

I Feel the Power of Faith from Falun Gong Practitioners

Susan Xu (right) talks with a practitioner.

Susan Xu, who came to the U.S. when she was young, quietly stood near the booth and observed the practitioners. When a practitioner greeted her, she asked, “Are Falun Gong practitioners imprisoned and locked in brainwashing facilities or labor camps in China? Have they really suffered so much persecution?”

“I was illegally detained several times in China and had to leave my home,” the practitioner said. “I finally came to the United States and have a free environment. In China Falun Gong practitioners are sentenced to prison or detained in detention centers and brainwashing facilities. They endure cruel torture.

“Mr. Pang Xun, a moderator of Sichuan Radio Station, practiced Falun Gong. Because he distributed information about Falun Gong, he was seized in July 2020 and was sentenced to five years in prison. He was tortured to death in Leshan Jiazhou Prison on December 2, 2022. He was only 30 years old. In the posthumous photo, Mr. Pang Xun was covered with bruises, his lips were bleeding, and his face was haggard. Sad stories like this are still happening in China. This is just one case.

“Jiang Zemin, the former CCP head who launched the persecution of Falun Gong, applied the policy of 'bankrupt them financially, destroy their reputations, and eliminate them physically' in China. This has gone on for more than 20 years and has led to many sad stories. Such cruel persecution is still happening in China.”

After listening to the practitioner, Susan said, “I’m stunned. You encountered unfair treatment and were severely persecuted, yet you are so kind and peaceful when you talk about these experiences. In such an environment, you can still calmly and rationally persist in your faith. I’m touched. You are all very good people. There are no words to describe good people like you. I can feel the power of faith.”

Susan took out some Falun Gong leaflets and the contact information of various group practice sites. The practitioner recommended that she read Zhuan Falun, and Susan said that she would definitely read it.

People Are Drawn to Falun Gong

Visitors learn the exercises.

Many people stopped at the Falun Gong booth and said they felt energy when the practitioners demonstrated the exercises, and some asked to learn them. After they did the exercises, some wanted to sign up for the free Falun Gong exercise class. One woman said, “When I did the first set of exercises, I felt my palms were warm, and I felt energy. I feel refreshed and very comfortable.”

A man (second from left) from Poland was interested in learning Falun Dafa.

A man from Poland followed the movements as a practitioner did the exercises, and afterwards the practitioner talked to him. The man said he was interested in the practice and asked several questions: What is forbearance? Why is the nine-day class held? How many hours are the classes held each day?

The practitioner answered all of his questions and then said, “In 2022, I participated in the car tour across the U.S., calling to end the CCP. We had more than a dozen cars with banners on top. We started from New York, crossed the United States to Seattle, Washington, and then returned to New York. There is a documentary about the tour. I can mail it to you.” They exchanged email addresses, and the man took several different Falun Gong leaflets. He said he would go online to learn more about the practice.