(Minghui.org) This year marks the 25th anniversary of the April 25 appeal. Falun Dafa practitioners held a rally and a candlelight vigil in front of the Chinese Consulate in Los Angeles on April 21, 2024, to commemorate practitioners who died in the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) persecution during the past 25 years. 

A candlelight vigil was held in front of the Chinese Consulate in Los Angeles on April 21, 2024.

Practitioners held banners saying “Falun Dafa Is Good,” “The World Needs Truthfulness, Compassion, and Forbearance” and “Stop the Persecution of Falun Gong.” Other practitioners held candles. 

Deep Impact of the April 25 Appeal 

Li Youfu, the Chair of Southwest US Falun Dafa Association, said in the rally that the April 25 appeal had a big impact and let the world see the peace, calmness, and kindness of Falun Dafa practitioners who practice Truthfulness, Compassion, and Forbearance.

“For 25 years, practitioners have continued clarifying the truth and awakening people to the CCP’s lies,” he said.

Li Youfu, Chair of Southwest US Falun Dafa Association, addressed the rally.

He said, “Those who kept their conscience escaped disasters, whereas those who followed the CCP to persecute Falun Dafa received retribution in the pandemic.” 

Chairman of the China Democratic Party Supports Practitioners

Zheng Cunzhu, leader of the Los Angeles pro-democracy movement and chairman of the China Democratic Party, came to the event. He said that the April 25 peaceful petition was a large-scale activity by the people to spontaneously strive for the basic rights of citizens and safeguard the rights to practice, and it was completely legal.

Zheng Cunzhu, chairman of the China Democratic Party, calls to end the CCP’s persecution.

“Through reports from that year, we saw that when Falun Gong practitioners left, they even cleaned up the waste paper, cigarette butts, and drinking bottles on the ground around them. It was really a great job,” he said. He said that this just shows the good demeanor of Falun Gong (also known as Falun Dafa) practitioners.

“Falun Gong has been able to persist for 25 years, whether it is peaceful sit-ins or going to the Chinese community, including exposing the evil nature of the CCP inside China, because they have a very firm belief.”

He also said that recently some people attacked Falun Gong. This is because as more and more people around the world practice Falun Gong, the CCP feels uneasy.

“The CCP knows that it directly attacks Falun Gong, including the CCP-staged Tiananmen self-immolation. After people learn about the truth through various channels, few people believe the CCP’s lies. So they use the so-called media people and people of unknown origin as if they are third parties. They seem to be 'fair' attacks on Falun Gong, but they actually have ulterior motives.” He said he came to support Falun Gong practitioners and called for an end to the CCP’s persecution.

Calling to Stop the Persecution

Chen Weiming, a sculptor and director of Liberty Sculpture Park in California, brought several sculpture park volunteers to the scene to support Falun Gong practitioners.

Chen Weiming, a sculptor and director of Liberty Sculpture Park in California, addressed the rally. 

Chen said in his speech, “On April 25, 1999, Falun Gong practitioners peacefully petitioned and shocked the whole world with their actions. Their courage, persistence in telling people the truth, kindness, and fearless endurance they displayed impressed the whole world.” “We need to pay tribute to Falun Gong practitioners and follow their example.”

Although the CCP uses China’s state machinery to suppress Falun Gong, the practice is currently practiced in more than 100 countries around the world. Chen said that Falun Gong practitioners are restoring history, restoring the virtues of the Chinese people, and restoring the true traditional culture, which is why they are so popular. “Because Falun Gong practitioners pursue the truth, this is what the CCP is really afraid of,” he said.

“I do not practice Falun Gong, but I have seen how extraordinary Falun Gong is and the very positive impact of Truthfulness, Compassion, and Forbearance in this society.” Twenty-five years have passed. Chen Weiming said, “When the CCP collapses we can finally have human rights and freedom.”

The Persecution Continues

Ms. Karen Kang, a Falun Gong practitioner in Los Angeles, said at the rally that on April 25 last year, her nephew Hou Lijun was taken away by two police officers from the Xiaojingyu Police Station in Wanbolin District, Taiyuan City, Shanxi Province for practicing Falun Dafa. During one year of illegal detention, Hou Lijun was beaten and brutally tortured in the detention center by force-feeding, and being deprived of sleep. 

Ms. Kang calls to rescue her relatives.

Her sister Kang Shumei and her nephew Zhang Gu were also arrested on October 31, 2022, for practicing Falun Gong. They have been detained for nearly a year and a half. The CCP has not allowed their family to see them.

“I stand here again at the Chinese Consulate to expose all those who are directly involved in persecuting my relatives—the Wanbolin District Public Security Bureau, Gujiao City Public Security Bureau, Xiaodian Public Security Bureau, Longcheng Police Station, and Jinzhong Prison in Taiyuan City, Shanxi Province,” Ms. Kang said. “I also strongly demand once again that the personnel of the Public Security Bureau and Judiciary Department of Taiyuan City, Shanxi Province immediately and unconditionally release my family members.”

Chinese Quit the CCP 

Ms. Helen Li, director of the Los Angeles Service Center for Quitting the CCP, said, “In 1999, the CCP claimed Falun Gong practitioners’ April 25 peaceful petition was a 'siege of the CCP headquarters' and said it was a 'political incident.' It used the appeal on April 25 as an excuse to start the campaign of persecuting Falun Gong and its practitioners. However, during the past 25 years, practitioners have continued clarifying the truth. More and more Chinese people have seen practitioners’ kindness and rationality; have seen through the CCP’s rumors, lies, and evil nature; and have withdrawn from the CCP and its affiliated organizations. Over 429 million Chinese people have quit the Party organizations.”

Ms. Helen Li, director of the Los Angeles Service Center for Quitting the CCP, addressed the rally.

Ms. Li said that because the CCP covered up the initial COVID outbreak, more of its crimes against humanity were exposed, “The world’s opposition to the CCP is rising.” As of today, nearly 4.25 million people have signed the petition to end the CCP.