Police "Protect Dafa"
All Falun Gong activities are peaceful and serene. German police forces learned this very early on, so they only send a few policemen to Falun Gong activities. However, on the morning of April 25th, when German practitioners sat quietly on a bridge in front of the Chinese Embassy in Berlin, they found three police cars parked in front of the embassy building. One passing pedestrian later told us that she just had chatted with the policemen and was told that only the first car was there to monitor the Falun Gong event while the other two police cars were sent to protect the Chinese Embassy. This passerby asked him what the Chinese Embassy was afraid of. The policeman replied: " I don't know what the Chinese Embassy is afraid of. But I know the people who are sitting on the bridge. They are always peaceful."
At noontime, practitioners marched from Alexandra Square to the Brandenburg Gate. The route of the march took it through all the busiest areas of the city. Two policemen walked ahead of us and two others walked beside us. Only a few officers attended the afternoon activity held next to the Memorial Church, located in the center of Berlin. As the activities wound down in the evening, the police chief came and told practitioners, "Please forgive us for not being with you all the time. But we have been watching out for you. We would have come to protect you immediately had anything happened." At the end practitioners expressed their gratitude to the police and they politely replied: "You are very welcome. We have not done much after all."
A Righteous Cause Attracts Support
As practitioners sat quietly in front of the Chinese Embassy in the morning, one German lady stopped and talked with practitioners for almost an hour. This lady used to be a news reporter in another city . She was also interested in Qigong. She had heard a little about the persecution of Falun Gong in China. When she met the Falun Gong practitioners this time she asked about all the issues that had been on her mind. She was moved to tears upon hearing the cases of practitioners being tortured in China. She said, "I cannot just cry. I have to help those practitioners who have been tortured. How can I help you?"
In the afternoon and evening, activities were held in a square near Berlin Memorial Church. There were several people there playing drums. Practitioners were practicing the exercises peacefully. Many tourists were initially attracted to the square by the drumming, and when they noticed the peaceful practitioners they were deeply attracted by the elegant exercises. They surrounded us and read our posters. After reading the posters, a young Turkish man, about 18 or 19, came and asked: "What can I do for you? These people would rather die than give up their beliefs. They are respectful. And it is shameful that the government brutally tortures its own people just because they have their own beliefs." Later he and his friends signed their names on the petition to the United Nations.
The Field of Righteous Minds
During the parade, two western practitioners walked in front carrying a ring of flowers. Flowers and pictures of murdered practitioners were displayed in the middle, followed by several banners. The whole parade was solemn and moving. Most people who were walking by stopped and watched the parade. According to the practitioners who handed out information, many people requested Dafa materials.
Determined Young Practitioners
Also following the ring of flowers in the parade line-up was a group of young practitioners holding flowers or pictures of dead practitioners. They were mostly girls from four to twelve years old. They kept a neat line-up during the whole parade. They were able to walk the whole 90-minute parade because of their sincere hearts.
In the evening, a candle-light vigil was held in the square near the Memorial Church. Later it began to rain. Even though the rain extinguished some of the candles, practitioners still meditated in the rain. These young practitioners then lighted the candles again. They kept quiet to avoid disturbing other practitioners.
German practitioners
April 26, 2001
Category: News & Events
