Thursday March 8th, 2001 was International Women's Day, so Dafa practitioners in the United Kingdom took the opportunity to highlight the brutal treatment of women practitioners as well as the persecution of all Dafa practitioners in China. Between thirty to forty practitioners from all over the U.K. came to participate in the event in London.
Practitioners worked together to organize the day's activities. Leaflets were delivered on time, flyers were prepared, and banners made. Different practitioners took responsibility for different tasks and worked as particles of a larger body. Letters to women's organizations, female MPs and MEPs were sent out in advance, telling them of the persecution of women practitioners of Falun Gong in China as well as appealing for support.
A news agency, a reporter who was passing by, and a television network interviewed practitioners and recorded different aspects of the event. A letter addressed to the Minister for Women was hand delivered to the Cabinet Office in London. On the other side of the road, opposite Downing Street, practitioners did the exercises and handed out leaflets. The public was willing to accept the leaflets and some even made an effort to make sure they received the information. Although it rained persistently throughout the day, this did not dampen the practitioners' resolve or the willingness of the public to accept Dafa materials.
At about 1.30pm, practitioners began their peaceful march through London on their way to the Chinese Embassy. They passed through many popular tourist places such as Trafalgar Square, as well as busy shopping areas such as Oxford Street. The practitioners carried banners calling for an end to the persecution of Falun Gong in China. There were also pictures of some of the victims who had died in police custody. Members of the public showed their sympathy at the sight of these pictures.
A small group of practitioners had become separated from the main group and had gone ahead to Chinatown to find the others. As they were passing by a restaurant in Chinatown, some Chinese Embassy officials and some Westerners came out of the building. The practitioners handed out Dafa leaflets to everybody. They all took the information, and everyone in the group noticed the content. Then the practitioners took a taxi to the Foreign Office, as their destination was clearly marked by a white sign in the window.
When the whole procession of practitioners arrived opposite the Chinese Embassy, the police officer on duty outside the Embassy commented on the "orderly fashion" of the arrival. Practitioners neatly displayed their banners and pictures on the pavement opposite the Embassy. Then they practiced the exercises. The Chinese Embassy refused to accept a letter on behalf of all U.K. Dafa practitioners. The police officer on duty said that the Embassy staff had displayed negative behavior towards people who had tried to deliver letters in the past. He commented that as long as the practitioners remained on British soil, there was protection and safety. One of the practitioners followed the advice of the police officer and posted the letter in a public letterbox only a few yards away from the Embassy.
UK Dafa practitioners