February 16, 2002
Dan Rintoul, touching down at the Calgary International Airport on Friday,
said he expected trouble.
Calgarian Dan Rintoul is relieved to be home after being detained by Chinese
police for his affiliation with Falun Gong.
"I was thinking, 'What is going to happen? What am I going to do? Will I be
able to stay calm?' " he said Friday after arriving at Calgary
International Airport.
Rintoul, 23, was one of about 40 western Falun Gong practitioners arrested in
Beijing on Thursday. He had left Calgary earlier this week "for the
purposes of clarifying the truth to the Chinese people of the persecution of
Falun Dafa."
Rintoul pointed to bruises on his neck, forehead and arm. His knee was also
swollen because of his confrontation with Chinese police, he said.
Rintoul said he was on his way to Tiananmen Square to meet other practitioners
and wave banners in support of Falun Gong.
"Some police just pulled me over," he said. "They started pulling
me and then the police started punching and kicking me.
"One of them grabbed my throat and started crushing my throat. I squirmed
free, but then they forced me into the car where the officer pressed my face
into the corner of the seat with his knee and then smothered my face with his
hand. I could barely breathe."
Falun Gong, also known as Falun Dafa, is a spiritual practice involving
slow-moving exercise, meditation and the cultivation of the principles of
truthfulness, compassion and forbearance.
Practitioners say 338 people have been killed due to police brutality while in
custody in China, where the practice is outlawed. At least 100,000 have been
detained and 20,000 have been sent to forced labour camps, they say.
Rintoul was brought to a hotel where he was detained for about 20 hours, he
said.
He was never formally charged with any crime or officially arrested, he said.
Police officers arrived at the hotel the next day and told Rintoul "to go
home."
Rintoul said he became involved with Calgary's small, 20-member Falun Gong
movement about 11 months ago.
He anticipated he would "have problems" in Beijing, but said the
ordeal will help Calgarians understand more about Falun Gong and the plight of
Chinese practitioners in China.
Rintoul's mother, M.J. Rintoul, said she is proud her son is standing up for
something he supports.
"He wanted to make a statement and he believes in what he is doing. He has
strong convictions and I think that is good in youn
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