New York City: Practitioners Hold Candle Vigil in Front of Chinese Consulate and Call for Bringing Chief Perpetrators of the Persecution to Justice (Photos)
(Clearwisdom.net) In the evening of November 3, more than 300 practitioners gathered in front of Chinese Consulate at midtown Manhattan. Practitioners held a candle vigil there and call for bringing Jian Zemin, Luo Gan, Zhou Yongkang and Liu Jing, the chief perpetrators of the persecution, to justice. In the cold wind, practitioners gracefully demonstrated Falun Gong exercises to the music and sent righteous thoughts. Some passing by vehicles greeted practitioners by blowing a horn. Among the practitioners, there were the old, the young and many visitors from overseas. Some of those present have relatives who are being persecuted in China for practicing Falun Gong. Practitioner Sha Quan said: "We come here to hold this candle vigil tonight to send a strong and clear message to Chinese authorities--end the persecution of Falun Gong immediately; meanwhile, we want to tell them that Jiang and his accomplices have committed unpardonable crimes and we are determined to bring them to justice." "To date, it has been confirmed that more than 1,100 practitioners have been persecuted to death, hundreds of thousands have been brutally tortured and families consequently have been broken while many practitioners have been forced to leave their homes to avoid persecution.... The perpetrators have committed genocide and crime against humanity and they have to be brought to justice in front of court of law as well as the history and conscience," Sha said. Zhou Jianfen participated in the vigil with her 2-year-old daughter. After learned the severe persecution of practitioners from internet, her sister Zhou Jianhui, a student who were preparing tests to graduate school, went onto streets to distribute Falun Gong truth-clarifying fliers. She was caught and then sent to labor camp. Jianfen said: "It is said that my sister was forced to attend brainwashing sessions and to do heavy labor. I am very worried as the Jiang regime is so vicious and it has employed all kinds of brutal and inhuman measures against practitioners. Reportedly, several practitioners have been persecuted to death by that labor camp." Canadian practitioner Xiao Jin also participated in the vigil. His mother, Ms. Li Guanzhen who was arrested twice for her Falun Gong belief, was released due to pressure from Canadian government and international community. Mr. Xiao said that in the past the Chinese authority strategically end persecutions such as cultural revolution by punishing some scapegoats. We won't allow it happen again this time, we are determined to bring Jiang and his accomplices to justice. Gracy Borges, whose office is close to the Chinese Consulate, was waiting for bus. She said that she had seen practitioners conducting peaceful appeals here for 5 years and she admired practitioners' steadfast spirit. She said: "No matter rain or snow, I saw practitioners sitting here quietly. I think that the Chinese communism government has no reason not to allow people to practice Falun Gong. People have the freedom of belief." 
Chinese version available at
http://minghui.ca/mh/articles/2004/11/4/88337.html
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