(Minghui.org) Falun Gong practitioners in the San Francisco Bay Area held a rally and a march to condemn the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) persecution of Falun Gong practitioners on July 20, 2024. They called for an end to the CCP’s 25-year-long persecution.

Practitioners first did the Falun Dafa exercises in front of the San Francisco Ferry Building in the morning. Many tourists were drawn to watch and hear about Falun Gong. Some people, when they saw such a peaceful scene, said wanted to learn to practice Falun Gong.

Group practice in front of the Ferry Building. 

Reenactment of the CCP’s forced organ harvesting during the persecution of Falun Gong

Falun Gong practitioners and people from all walks of life held a rally in front of the Ferry Building to condemn the CCP’s persecution at 11:00 a.m. Afterward, practitioners held a march, starting at the Ferry Building, along the Embarcadero, passing the tourist attraction Fisherman’s Wharf, and arriving at the Maritime Garden on Jefferson Street.

March to condemn the CCP’s persecution.

Practitioner Abraham reads the letter from Sam Liccardo who is running for Congress. 

Candidate for Congress Condemns the CCP’s Organ Harvesting

Sam Liccardo, former mayor of San Jose and candidate for Congress, sent a letter to the event in support of Falun Gong’s protesting the persecution. He wrote that he was deeply saddened by reports of the CCP’s organ harvesting in China, that it was just one of many examples of the CCP government violating civil and human rights, and that we should collectively condemn it. 

He noted that, in the United States, organ harvesting would constitute intentional homicide and would be subject to the most severe criminal penalties. The CCP government’s involvement constitutes a serious violation of human rights. and he condemned it in the strongest terms. 

The CCP Police Beat Western Practitioners

Steve Ispas, who started practicing Falun Gong in 2000, said that soon after he started practicing Falun Gong, he discovered that this wonderful practice was persecuted by the CCP. Not only was the scale of the persecution large, but the cruelty was unprecedented in history.

Practitioner Steve Ispas speaks at the rally. 

He wanted to help stop the persecution, and when he heard some Falun Gong practitioners start talking about going to China to appeal directly to the authorities to stop the persecution and unfurl banners on Tiananmen Square, he decided to get involved. But he and several others were illegally arrested in the tunnel leading to Tiananmen Square. 

He said they were pushed and beaten by the CCP police and put into a detention center, where they were interrogated for several hours. About 20 hours later, they were put on a plane back to the United States. He said that they would continue to do their best to let people know about the CCP’s persecution. He called on people to sign the petition to help stop the CCP’s atrocities.

Mayoral Candidate of San Francisco Welcomes Falun Gong Practitioners

Mayoral candidate Aichen Li speaks at the rally. 

Aichen Li, a candidate for mayor of San Francisco, supports Falun Gong and freedom of belief. She even quit the Communist Young Pioneers she joined as a child that day. She said that she is a strong supporter of human rights. She said, “God has given people the right to freedom of belief. Everyone can choose their own belief. If I am elected mayor of San Francisco, I will very much welcome Falun Gong practitioners to San Francisco.” 

Only with the Disintegration of the CCP Can the Persecution End

Fang Zheng, President of the China Democratic Education Foundation, speaks at the rally. 

Fang Zheng, President of the China Democratic Education Foundation, witnessed the Tiananmen Square Massacre on June 4, 1989. He said that he admired Falun Gong practitioners and called for an end of the CCP’s persecution. “Everyone here today is a victim of the CCP’s persecution just like us. We need to think about how to end the CCP’s persecution. Only by truly disintegrating the CCP and ending this evil regime can we end the persecution.”

New Immigrant: Learn from Falun Gong Friends

Zheng Yonghua, a new immigrant from China who came to the United States last July, also came to support Falun Gong practitioners’ activities. He said, “I come to the rally to protest the CCP and the totalitarian governments around the world that are persecuting human rights.”

Zheng Yonghua, a new immigrant from China, speaks at the rally.

The Chinese Communist Party carried out many human rights violations in the territories it controlled after 1949. Everyone has the responsibility and obligation to stand up and oppose this inhumane behavior. On the road to opposing the persecution, we should learn this fearless spirit from our Falun Gong friends.

China Expert: Why the West Should Pay Attention to the CCP’s Persecution

China expert Su Nan speaks at the rally. 

Su Nan, an expert on China, said that many people in the West know about the CCP's persecution of Falun Gong. Why should Americans and Westerners care about what happens in China?

He said that in 1999 the CCP began to brutally persecute Falun Gong. The US government granted China permanent normal trade relations in 2000. In 2001, China joined the World Trade Organization (WTO). The United States hopes to help China prosper and develop so that the Chinese people can enjoy democracy. But, we have forgotten a basic principle: religious freedom.

Su Nan said that the Chinese people’s fight for religious freedom echoes the principles set by the founding fathers of the United States and that stopping the CCP’s persecution of Falun Gong is in the best interest of the United States. This is not only about China. It is about upholding the values we cherish and ensuring that freedom and human rights are protected around the world.

People Support Falun Gong Opposing the Persecution

Mr. Wang, who came to the United States from China five years ago, also participated in the event. He saw information about the Falun Gong practitioners’ activities on the Internet and went to the San Francisco Ferry Building Plaza to support the effort to halt the persecution. He also followed the Falun Gong practitioners’ hand movements to learn the exercises that day.

Mr. Wang supports Falun Gong. 

Mr. Wang said, “I sympathize with Falun Gong practitioners and support them in their fight against the persecution. Falun Gong is very good. It spreads the principles of Truthfulness, Compassion and Forbearance. It is a good organization. I hope people all over the world will know about Falun Gong.”

He said, “I learned to practice Falun Gong and I feel very good. My spirit has also changed. The CCP has been persecuting Falun Gong for such a long time. It is time to hold the CCP accountable.” 

Oscar Nunez, who works in San Francisco, said, “I agree with the principles of Truthfulness, Compassion, and Forbearance. The CCP’s persecution of Falun Gong practitioners is so cruel. The atrocities of organ harvesting from living practitioners are the most horrible atrocities I have ever heard of in my life. Thank you for letting the public know about this. I will check it online when I return home.”

Oscar Nunez said the CCP’s persecution is cruel.