(Minghui.org) On April 25, 2024, Falun Gong practitioners held a rally at The Hague near the Chinese Embassy to commemorate the April 25 appeal, and to tell people about the CCP’s persecution of Falun Gong and harvesting practitioners’ organs.
Practitioners held an event near the Chinese Embassy in The Hague.
Falun Gong practitioners erected huge banners with the messages: “Stop Persecuting Falun Gong” and “Stop Live Organ Harvesting and Torturing Falun Gong Practitioners!” and, “Falun Dafa has spread to more than 100 countries and regions in the world, and hundreds of millions of people have benefited physically and mentally.”
It rained steadily that morning. Practitioners alternated between demonstrating the five sets of Falun Gong exercises and quietly sitting in silent protest of the CCP’s 25-year-long persecution. The scene was as peaceful and dignified as it was 25 years ago, on April 25, 1999.
Silvio, vice president of the Dutch Falun Dafa Association, called for the persecution to end. He recalled the reasons why the April 25 appeal was held and the CCP’s 25-year persecution of Falun Gong that followed.
Silvio, vice president of the Dutch Falun Dafa Association, delivered a speech.
He said, “For 25 years, Falun Gong practitioners in China have risked their lives and continue to peacefully expose the CCP’s illegal persecution, and have told the facts about this persecution to the Chinese people in various ways. Today, we once again call on the CCP to immediately stop its illegal persecution of Falun Gong and remind all those who belong to the CCP and are allied with the CCP to stay away from this most evil regime.”
Practitioners told passersby about the significance of the rally and the CCP’s ongoing persecution of Falun Gong.
Ms. Cahide condemned the human rights persecution taking place in China: “Everyone is allowed to have their own way of thinking, if these ways are not dangerous for others.” She also enjoyed the practitioners’ meditation, “When I see [practitioners meditating], my heart is calm, very calm. This [event] is a silent protest.”
Ms. Cahid condemns the CCP’s persecution of Falun Gong.
Events in the Afternoon
Practitioners continued their activities in the center of The Hague that afternoon. Some practitioners demonstrated the exercises, while others clarified the truth about the persecution and collected signatures on a petition that condemns it. Some people asked to learn the Falun Gong exercises. Many people condemned the CCP’s persecution of this peaceful and kind group of cultivators, and signed the petition. Some tourists from China withdrew from the CCP organizations they joined and expressed their support for Falun Gong.
People sign the petition to condemn the live organ harvesting.
Some people learn to practice Falun Gong.
Practitioners demonstrate exercises in the center of The Hague
Ms. Anita said she is a spiritual person, and believes the ongoing persecution of Falun Gong in China is terrible and inhumane, “Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance are the characteristics of the universe. As long as you don’t hurt others, you have the freedom to do things. We are given this free will. No one has the right to take it away from us.”
Mr. Li, a police officer from China, quit the CCP and told practitioners, “I know the evil nature of the Communist Party. Please help me quit. I know the persecution you have received in China, and I support you.”
Background: What Is the April 25 Appeal?
Falun Dafa (also known as Falun Gong) was first introduced to the public by Mr. Li Hongzhi in Changchun, China, in 1992. The spiritual discipline is now practiced in over 100 countries worldwide. Millions of people have embraced the teachings—which are based on the principles of Truthfulness, Compassion, Forbearance as well as five gentle exercises—and experienced improved health and well-being.
On April 23 & 24, 1999, police officials in Tianjin, a city near Beijing, assaulted and arrested dozens of practitioners who had gathered outside a magazine office to discuss errors in a recently-published article attacking Falun Dafa. As word spread of the arrests and more practitioners inquired with officials, they were told they had to take their appeals to Beijing.
The following day, April 25, some 10,000 Falun Dafa practitioners spontaneously gathered at the Central Appeals office in Beijing, as they had been instructed by Tianjin officials. The gathering was peaceful and orderly. Several Falun Dafa representatives were called in to meet with Chinese Premier, Zhu Rongji, and members of his staff. That evening, practitioners’ concerns were answered. The arrested practitioners in Tianjin were released and everyone went home.
Jiang Zemin, former head of the CCP, perceived the spiritual discipline’s growing popularity as a threat to the CCP’s atheistic ideology and issued an order to ban Falun Dafa on July 20, 1999.
Minghui.org has confirmed the deaths of thousands of practitioners due to the persecution over the years; the actual number is suspected to be much higher. More have been imprisoned and tortured for their faith.
There is concrete evidence that the CCP sanctions the harvesting of organs from detained practitioners, who are murdered to supply the organ transplant industry.
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