(Minghui.org) Practitioners held a rally in Philadelphia’s Chinatown on July 18, 2026, to commemorate the 27th anniversary of their efforts to expose the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) persecution.
They displayed banners, distributed flyers, delivered speeches, and collected signatures on a petition to raise awareness of the CCP’s brutal persecution of Falun Gong. They also called on the public to pay attention to the human rights atrocities committed by the CCP, including forced live organ harvesting.
Many people expressed their sympathy and support. During the event, 36 Chinese who quit the CCP and its youth organizations made statements.
Falun Dafa practitioners rally in Philadelphia's Chinatown on July 18, 2026. (Minghui.org)
Upholding Faith and Resisting Persecution: Survivors and Medical Experts Attest to the CCP Atrocities
At the rally, Ms. Zhang recounted her experiences in Heilongjiang, China, and when she went to Beijing to appeal for justice for Falun Gong. She was seized and illegally detained twice in a forced labor camp, which was a heavy financial and psychological burden for her mother-in-law, who was paralyzed, and her father-in-law, who was diagnosed with cancer.
She said that her own experience was merely a drop in the bucket regarding the scale of this persecution. Over the past 27 years, countless Falun Gong practitioners have been detained, sentenced to prison, and even subjected to forced live organ harvesting. She personally knew dozens of practitioners who lost their lives as a result of the persecution.
Dr. Jessica Russo from Doctors Against Forced Organ Harvesting (DAFOH) also spoke at the rally. She talked about the CCP’s atrocities, including the live organ harvesting, from a medical standpoint and recounted the results of independent investigations. Dr. Russo condemned forced live organ harvesting as “a crime against humanity initiated and orchestrated by the CCP that continues to occur on a massive scale currently.” She called on the international community to actively support Senate Bill S.4009, the Falun Gong and Victims of Forced Organ Harvesting Protection Act, to “put an end to this heinous atrocity committed by the CCP as soon as possible.”
During the event, many people signed the petition encouraging the US Senate to pass Bill S.4009.
Dr. Jessica Russo from DAFOH (Minghui.org)
People Support Falun Gong
People said they were touched by the solemnity and peacefulness of the rally. When they understood what it was about, many expressed indignation and encouraged practitioners to continue.
Practitioners tell people about the persecution and collect signatures on a petition calling for it to end. (Minghui.org)
Sarah Ferrari, an antique dealer, said she had heard of the CCP’s forced live organ harvesting but thought it was just a rumor because it was “so unbelievable … These atrocities are beyond imagination because they are so evil. It’s hard for people like us to accept that these things are actually happening because they are so frightening.” But after she listened to the speakers at the rally, she was convinced the CCP is truly committing these crimes.
Ms. Ferrari said “I know now that this [organ harvesting] is not a rumor and this is not some crazy out-of-control protest. These [practitioners] are all great people who are conveying their message in a very friendly way and there is no disturbance. They are giving gifts [lotus flowers] to those who want to know about the issue. It is truly wonderful of them to do this.”
She also said she thought it was important to hold such rallies in cities across the globe. Appalled when she heard the firsthand accounts of the CCP’s evil deeds, she said she would contact government officials and speak with her senator. She said, “This is very important. I believe we should shoulder this responsibility.”
Luciana Ferrari (left) and her mother Sarah Ferrari, an antique dealer (Minghui.org)
Sarah’s daughter, Luciana Ferrari, who is studying journalism during her high school summer vacation, also expressed shock. She said this was the first time she’d heard about the CCP’s forced live organ harvesting. Her immediate reaction was one of “absolute shock, profound shock. I had never heard of anything like this before. I feel that these kind of things are just like dystopian fiction, something utterly unimaginable in the real world.”
As a journalism student, she noted that, although social media is highly developed, this also means that a vast amount of information is pushed to the users, often in a manipulated manner. She believes it is essential to hold activities like this rally face-to-face, in the real world. She said, “I think raising public awareness and spreading the word is one of the most important things anyone can do, especially in a setting like this. I believe what everyone is doing here today is incredibly important. I wish everyone here the best. They truly deserve our respect.”
Halden Honeycutt, a business owner from Birmingham, Alabama, was also drawn to the rally. He noted that, while people in the US can choose to be organ donors and have that status indicated on their drivers’ licenses, he considers killing people to obtain organs is evil.
Halden Honeycutt, a business owner from Birmingham, Alabama (Minghui.org)
Mr. Honeycutt said that this was the first time he’d heard about the CCP’s practice of forced live organ harvesting. Due to the CCP’s deliberate cover-up, many Americans remain unaware of it. He expressed hi thanks and said, “I want to look into this because it sounds so brutal. If Falun Gong practitioners hadn’t been here, I might never have known about this. So I am very grateful and I will find out more about it.”
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Category: July 20 Events
