(Clearwisdom.net) Reported by the Central News Agency (CNA), Taiwan, February 23, 2003: 800 Falun Gong Practitioners from over 20 countries and districts in the world paraded in Hong Kong today to protest Article 23 legislation of the Hong Kong government.
At 9 am, about 800 Falun Gong practitioners practiced the exercises at a seaside park in Hong Kong. At 12 noon, they gathered in front of the Wan Chai Immigration Office, and then they paraded to the Hong Kong Special Zone Headquarters at Central. Many police officers were present.
Jian Hongzhang, a spokesperson for the Hong Kong Falun Gong indicated that the two days of experience sharing and the parade were held to show that Falun Gong practitioners are against the Article 23 legislation. They are concerned that the Hong Kong government will use Article 23 to declare Falun Gong illegal in Hong Kong.
He said there were about 800 Falun Gong practitioners from Hong Kong, Taiwan, Macao, USA, Canada, Japan, and Indonesia, representing over 20 countries and districts, in attendance. About 560 were from overseas, 380 of which were from Taiwan.
Jian indicated that at least 80 Falun Gong practitioners from Taiwan, one from Thailand, and one from Japan were denied entry into Hong Kong. Among them, 9 Taiwan practitioners were taken from the airport wrapped in gunny sacs. Another 18 Taiwan practitioners were detained in an interrogation room at the Hong Kong International Airport for 24 hours before they were deported.
Representatives of the Falun Gong practitioners asked the Hong Kong government to openly state that the anti-human rights and anti-freedom behaviors practiced in China will not appear in Hong Kong and that Taiwan Falun Gong practitioners will not be refused entry ever again.
From 5-7 pm, Falun Gong practitioners held a gathering to show their opposition to Article 23 legislation.
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