áMary Loftus, mother of Falun Gong practitioner Christine Loftus, spent some anxious hours this weekend, waiting by the phone for confirmation of her daughter's release from police custody in China. The photos in the foreground are computer print-outs of pictures Christine e-mailed to her mom just before her arrest. - Stan Howe photo

April 3, 2002

When she didn't receive a phone call from her daughter last Thursday, Barrie resident Mary Loftus, knew something was wrong.

When a photo depicting her arrest by Chinese police showed up on the Internet later that day, Mary's worst fears were confirmed.

Christine Loftus and her boyfriend, Jason Pomerleau, were seized by about 15 security guards, while distributing information about the persecution of Falun Gong practitioners near a Beijing marketplace.

Instead of furthering her anxiety, Mary says the photo provided comfort because it was much-needed evidence that her daughter was detained by Beijing officials.

Without the photo - that just happened to be taken by an unknown person at the scene and then placed on a Web site and seen by a family friend - Mary had no proof to give to Canadian Foreign Affairs officials, except that her daughter missed her scheduled 8 a.m. phone call.

The photo was sent to Foreign Affairs and then forwarded to Beijing, where police released Christine after keeping her in a cell for 25 hours.

"I was interrogated, threatened, grabbed by the neck, shouted at, tackled to the ground, stepped on and laughed at," said the 22-year-old Barrie native in a press release. "I was refused food for 20 hours. They tried twice to strip-search me, but I refused."

Christine and her twin brother, Jason, began practising Falun Gong three-and-a-half years ago after attending a Barrie health show. Seeing the positive changes in her children, Mary also adopted its principles of Truth, Compassion and Tolerance.

"I enjoy the exercise and believe it benefits me," says Mary, who no longer needs to see her chiropractor regularly. "It also makes you think more clearly. When there's a problem, you look inside yourself, rather than blaming other people. Things run more smoothly."

She understands the need for people to go to China to distribute information, but as a mother, she was never in agreement with her children going.

"I believe in the cause and totally understand ... but I have a hard time saying too many positive things because I don't want to encourage them to go again," she explained during a telephone interview. Her son, Jason, went to Beijing in February to appeal on Tiananmen Square for Falun Gong. He was beaten and expelled within 27 hours.

"Jason and Christine are so dedicated to the people of China. They wanted to show their support."

According to information released by a Falun Gong group in Toronto, Christine's trip took place during an escalation of persecution in China. On March 15, Amnesty International issued a statement calling on citizens worldwide to take action and to help with the situation in Changchun City, China.

"After I bought my ticket I heard of the recent escalation of persecution in Changchun where 5,000 practitioners disappeared and 100 were dead already in two weeks, following the orders from Chinese President Jiang Zemin to kill (Falun Gong practitioners) without mercy," said Christine in the news release. "When I heard this I felt more than ever that I must go."

Falun Gong, also known as Falun Dafa, is an exercise and meditation practice.

It has roots in traditional Chinese culture, but is distinct and separate from other practices in China, like Buddhism and Taoism.

Since its introduction in 1992, it has spread by word of mouth throughout China and is now practised in more than 50 countries.

Along with friends and family, Mary was on hand at Pearson International Airport on Friday to welcome her daughter home. The family spent Easter weekend together in Barrie.

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