July 29, 2004

By Andy Carvin of the EDC Center for Media & Community

Crossing through the Boston Common during lunch today I happened upon a large Falun Gong protest decrying the treatment of its practitioners by the Chinese government. When I lived in DC, the Falun Gong were a fixture of north Dupont Circle, where they camped out and meditated in front of the Chinese ambassador's residence. Here in Boston, though, they've added rather graphic visuals to their protest.

2004-8-3_torture-display1.jpg (50315 bytes)

Along the main path that crosses through the Common, Falun Gong [practitioners] (1) have set up human dioramas depicting torture of their [practitioners]. In one booth, a woman in a blood-spattered blouse hangs from two ropes as a baton-wielding thug stands behind her. To her left, an old woman sits on the ground, her right hand pressed onto a small table, as two men pull out her fingernails. Another woman is bound inside an animal cage, while yet another woman, in a large cage, is forced to work a Singer sewing machine, producing goods labeled "Made in China."

2004-8-3_torture-display2.jpg (53521 bytes)

A Falun Gong [practitioner] protests by posing in a cage

Beyond the torture exhibit, more Falun Gong could be seen meditating and practicing [tai chi ¨Clike exercises], as can be seen in this video clip.... -andy

http://edwebproject.org/andy/blog/000589.html

(1) Note: The term "member" was replaced with "practitioner."