(Minghui.org) A man with a Chinese flag on his jacket tore down Falun Gong banners and display boards outside the Chinese Consulate in Toronto and attacked Falun Gong practitioners on September 20, 2026.
One of the participants protesting the Chinese Communist Party’s persecution of Falun Gong said the man threatened her to “shoot her dead.” The man claimed that the area was “Chinese territory” and mentioned China’s anti-secession law.
Falun Gong practitioners and supporters held a press conference outside the Chinese Consulate on September 24, calling on the police to investigate the incident, identify the man, and bring him to justice. A former Member of Parliament (MP), scholars, and community members spoke at the rally.
Practitioners and supporters hold a press conference outside the Chinese Consulate on September 24. (Minghui.org)
The Bureau, a Canadian media outlet, reported on September 24: The Toronto police stated that the incident occurred around 9:35 a.m. on September 22; an unidentified man went to the site and damaged banners and display boards. When a practitioner attempted to stop him, the man threatened her and left before the police arrived. Police have begun investigating the incident.
Man Tears Banners and Shoves a Practitioner
The video shows that the man with a Chinese flag on his jacket tore down several banners and display boards, threw them on the ground, and smashed them. He took one of the banners. During the confrontation, he also shoved people nearby and kicked another Falun Gong practitioner who was filming.
Video: A man tears Falun Gong banners outside the Chinese Consulate in Toronto. (Minghui.org)
A man tears Falun Gong banners outside the Chinese Consulate in Toronto. (Screenshot of the video, Minghui.org)
During the press conference, practitioner Lina Li said that, as soon as she and other practitioners set up banners and display boards, a man rushed over from across the street, tore up a display board, threw it on the ground and smashed it, and then headed toward the other banners.
Ms. Li told the man that the banners were their property and he should not damage them. The man claimed it was “Chinese territory” and continued to tear up other banners. Then he pulled the metal pipe out of the ground and bent it.
Ms. Li said she suffered a bleeding scratch on her chin. The man repeatedly verbally abused and threatened her—including claiming he would shoot her, while also citing China’s Anti-Secession Law.
According to publicly available information, the Consulate General of China in Toronto is located at 240 St. George Street. The incident took place on the public roadway outside the consulate.
Lina Li at the press conference recounting the incident (Minghui.org)
Ms. Li said that she immediately called the police. The man left with a banner worded “Falun Dafa Is Good.” A few minutes later, seven police officers arrived and asked about the incident.
Nora Geng, another practitioner, said that the man kicked her while she was video-recording the incident. She said that a vehicle arrived to pick up the man as he was leaving and that another unidentified person filmed the entire incident.
During the incident, several passersby stepped in to stop the man. A video recording shows a bystander telling the attacker, “This is Canada.”
Former MP Calls on the Police to Take Action
Former Conservative MP Wladyslaw Lizon, after watching the video of the attack, said he couldn’t believe something like this could occur in Canada.
Former Conservative MP Wladyslaw Lizon speaks at the press conference. (Minghui.org)
“This is public property on Canadian soil. Therefore, anybody that is here should not only feel safe, but should be protected in case someone is using…illegal actions against peaceful people,” Mr. Lizon said at the press conference.
“Not only Falun Gong practitioners, but we all as Canadians…we have to ask the proper agencies to act swiftly and decisively to make sure that Canadians are safe in their own country.”
The Matter Should Be Investigated and Handled in Accordance With Canadian Law
Dr. Maria Cheung, a professor emeritus at the University of Manitoba, speaks at the press conference. (Minghui.org)
Dr. Maria Cheung has researched human rights issues concerning China for many years. Recently, she has focused on foreign interference and transnational repression in Canada.
At the press conference, she said that if the man involved did indeed damage property, commit acts of violence, and issue death threats, Canadian law enforcement agencies should investigate and handle the matter in accordance with Canadian law.
She specifically highlighted legislation against foreign interference passed by Canada in recent years, noting that Canadians needs to pay attention to foreign governments or associated individuals who might be attempting to exert political pressure in Canada.
“We need to stop transnational repression, and we need to stop someone from other foreign countries coming to our Canadian soil to try to apply whatever law they have to penalize or utter threats to Canadians,” she said.
Call to Investigate the Identity and Background of the Man Involved
Jeff Lee, Falun Gong community liaison, speaks at the press conference. (Minghui.org)
Jeff Lee said that, according to witnesses at the scene, the incident lasted approximately five minutes and the man involved not only destroyed a banner but also issued threats against the practitioners. Mr. Lee said the man was directing another man to film the entire incident. He called on Canadian law enforcement agencies to investigate, identify the man involved, and determine whether others were involved in planning, instigating, or assisting in the incident.
Mr. Lee said that, if the investigation reveals the involvement of a foreign government or its agents, those responsible should be held accountable in accordance with the law.
He also noted that the incident was prolonged and involved property damage, physical assaults, and threats, making it necessary to further investigate the background of the event.
The video of the incident was picked up on social media. Former MP Kevin Vuong commented on the incident, saying on a social media post that if the attacker is a diplomat, he should be declared a persona non grata and sent back “to the communist regime where they suppress speech and anti-Chinese Communist Party voices.”
Concerns About Transnational Repression
There is currently no proof to show if this incident is linked to broader transnational interference activities. In recent years, Canadian authorities and relevant research institutions have been monitoring the issue of transnational interference by the Chinese government targeting specific groups in Canada.
The University of Toronto’s Citizen Lab submitted a 33-page document to the Research Directorate of the Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada (IRB) on September 11, specifically addressing the issue of the Chinese government carrying out transnational repression in Canada.
The study notes similarities between the groups abroad targeted by the Chinese government and those monitored within China—including pro-democracy activists, dissidents, students, scholars, and journalists critical of the CCP, as well as Tibetans, Uyghurs, Mongolians, and Falun Gong practitioners.
Researchers also documented instances of protests outside of China being filmed, personal data being collected, and the subsequent dissemination of such information on Chinese-language social media.
Relevant documents previously released by the Canadian Parliament also addressed the issue of Chinese government activities within Canada targeting dissidents and Falun Gong practitioners.
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