(Minghui.org) Twenty-six years ago, approximately ten thousand Falun Gong practitioners gathered at the appeals office compound in Beijing on April 25 to ask the authorities to release the 45 practitioners who’d been illegally arrested in Tainjin a few days earlier. The authorities agreed to the practitioners’ requests and released the practitioners in Tianjin. This was the first peaceful and fruitful dialogue between civilians and the government since the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) took power.
The CCP did not immediately report on this historic event. It waited three months and then issued a report that defamed practitioners, claiming that they went to Beijing that day to “besiege Zhongnanhai,” the central government compound. However, from the news images, practitioners were seen standing quietly, patiently waiting for the results of the negotiation.
To commemorate the peaceful April 25 appeal that took place in 1999, Falun Gong practitioners in Toronto held several activities on April 24, 2025. They did the five Falun Gong exercises together in Queen’s Park in the morning and held a large-scale rally afterward.
That afternoon at the intersection of Avenue Road and Bloor Street, they displayed banners to raise awareness of the ongoing persecution of Falun Gong in China. Passersby signed the petition in support of the practitioners’ efforts to end the persecution and condemned the CCP for the crimes it has committed against practitioners. After learning the facts behind the persecution, several people from China decided to quit the CCP and its affiliated organizations.
Practitioners displayed banners near the Royal Ontario Museum in Toronto.
Practitioners tell people about the ongoing persecution of Falun Gong in China.
“I want to stand up to the CCP like you do”
Ms. Liu from northeastern China immigrated to Canada two years ago. She wanted to participate in the practitioners’ activities. “I often go to Fa Yuan Bookstore in the Pacific Mall and talk to practitioners. Sometimes I read your books. The practitioners there told me that you would hold activities here near Queen’s Park today, so my husband and I came,” she said.
So that her child could get a better education, Ms. Liu’s family came to Canada at the end of 2023. She said, “In China, my son was forced to wear a red scarf and salute the CCP flag in a ceremony every day. If he did not, he was bullied and accused of being unpatriotic. One day he came home with a red booklet full of praise for the CCP. I did not want this for my son, so I decided to leave China.”
When she was in China, she’d heard about Falun Gong but had a negative perception of it because she believed the CCP’s propaganda. She didn’t want to hear what practitioners had to say. One time her family was on vacation in France and a practitioner tried to clarify the truth to her. “I was still afraid, so I refused to listen,” she said. When she went to England, a practitioner patiently talked with her. “After that, I had the feeling that Falun Gong was not what I thought was. After we moved to Canada, I went on the Internet to search for Falun Gong. That was when I found out that Falun Gong was nothing like what the CCP said it was,” she said.
The more she learned about Falun Gong, the more she thought she should speak up, “At least, I want to fight for democracy, freedom, and human rights for people in China. I want to get involved in more activities like this and stand up to the CCP like you do.”
“Everyone should be allowed freedom of belief”
A man from Xinjiang spoke to the practitioners holding banners. He said he’d talked to practitioners at the Pacific Mall in the past and quit the Young Pioneers and Youth League. He believes in Islam, but under the CCP’s rule, his culture and belief were obliterated.
He said the CCP’s persecution of Falun Gong is wrong, “Everyone should be allowed freedom of belief. I know that the CCP also killed many Falun Gong practitioners.” He agreed with the principles of Truthfulness, Compassion, and Forbearance, saying they are “universal values.”
“It shouldn’t have happened”
Ehab was drawn to the peaceful atmosphere during the exercise demonstration.
Ehab, a civil engineer, said he was drawn to the peaceful energy when practitioners were doing the exercises together in Queen’s Park, “It made me feel so calm. There were so many people but the atmosphere was so peaceful and quiet. Everyone was very focused. This is very interesting.”
A practitioner told him that, three months after the peaceful protest in Beijing on April 25, 1999, the CCP chose to persecute this peaceful group. Ehab said, “It’s been 26 years—this is terrible! People should have the right to freedom of belief. In my eyes, practitioners are very peaceful, and their practice does not hurt anyone. It’s inconceivable that the CCP would choose to persecute this group of kind people. It shouldn’t have happened.” He said he would go online and learn more about Falun Gong.
“If everyone can show a bit more compassion and sympathy, it will benefit everyone”
Gregorio said that he wanted to learn Falun Gong.
After learning about the practice and the persecution, Gregorio said that he agreed with the principles of Falun Gong. “I think these values are good for society. If everyone can show a bit more compassion and sympathy, it will benefit everyone. I will go to the Falun Gong website to learn more about it after I go home,” he said.
He said he thought what the CC has done is wrong and unfair. “Everyone should enjoy freedom of belief. It’s truly wonderful that people in Canada can have such freedom.” He signed the petition to support the practitioners’ effort to end the persecution. Before he left, he gave a practitioner his phone number because he wanted to learn how to do the exercises.
“I will help spread the truth to more people”
Neda said she would tell people about Falun Gong and the ongoing persecution.
Neda is an accountant. When she saw the practitioners’ banners, she told them she agreed with the principles of Truthfulness, Compassion, and Forbearance. She’d done meditation before but it was her first time she’d heard about Falun Gong. “I am glad to have met you. I will definitely visit the website you told me about and learn more about the practice after I go home,” she said.
When she learned about the peaceful protest and the persecution that began 26 years ago, she said that what the CCP was doing was wrong. “I will help spread the truth to more people,” she said. “We need a peaceful world.” She signed the petition.
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Category: April 25 Events
