(Minghui.org) Falun Gong practitioners in Chicago held a rally in front of the Chinese Consulate on April 20, 2024, to commemorate the April 25 Peaceful Appeal in Beijing 25 years ago and to expose the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) ongoing persecution. 

Practitioners in Chicago held a rally in front of the Chinese Consulate on April 20, 2024, to commemorate the 25^thanniversary of the April 25 Peaceful Appeal.

A practitioner representative addressed the rally and recounted the background of the April 25 Peaceful Appeal. “Lawful citizens spontaneously went to the National Appeals Office, but were told that only the central government would be able to give them answers. They simply asked for the government to allow the publication of Falun Gong books and group exercises, and to release a group of practitioners who had been detained for seeking justice. Their peaceful and highly civilized appeal showed great courage of safeguarding morality and their freedom of belief.”

Mr. Lin, a Falun Gong practitioner from the suburb of Chicago, said that he did the Falun Gong exercises in front of the Chinese Consulate every weekend since the first day of his cultivation in 2003, rain or shine. “Staying firm in one’s belief is simple. It’s not for any personal interest,” Lin said. “Falun Gong practitioners’ persistent efforts in the past 25 years has brought changes. The CCP used to send its agents to harass us in the early days, but the police have learned the truth and now protect us. The CCP is afraid of Falun Gong because we are peaceful and can’t be bought. All we do is to expose the CCP’s crimes.”

Mr. Lin (middle in the front row) holds a banner with his fellow practitioners.

Touched by Falun Gong practitioners’ peacefulness, Blamenest Bautista, a local resident, signed a petition calling for an end to the persecution. “I stand with you!” he said.

Zoe, a law student at Loyola University, supports Falun Gong practitioners’ efforts calling for an end to the persecution.

Junior Manyawu praised the beauty of Falun Gong exercises, and said, “The world needs peace. This is the best way to show peace. Everyone of us should learn this practice of Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance.”

Shane Lambert and Quincy Lambert thank Falun Gong practitioners for spreading the information and said they support freedom of belief.

Paul Smith and Parker Johnson said that they absolutely support Falun Gong and hope the persecution ends immediately.