June 26, 2003
(Clearwisdom.net) A group of Falun Gong followers said Thursday that they were
verbally and physically assaulted outside a Manhattan restaurant after a dinner
party to honor the Chinese ambassador to the United Nations.
The confrontation Monday night involved at least six practitioners who were
handing out fliers outside Yi Dong restaurant on East Broadway in Chinatown. The
fliers were critical of the Chinese government's treatment of Falun Gong
practitioners.
Falun Gong practitioners said that after Ambassador Yingfan Wang and other
diplomats left the dinner, the dinner's organizers proceeded to slap the fliers
out of their hands and struck at least one practitioner, Jun Li, 48, of
Flushing.
"They cursed at me and say, 'You Falun Gong, go die,'" Li said Thursday. "The
people around me started beating me from the front and back."
Guan Liang, 42, of Manhattan, allegedly punched Li once in the eye, according to
a police spokesman. He was charged with third-degree assault on Wednesday,
police said.
At a news conference in Chinatown Thursday, Falun Gong practitioners said the
incident was triggered by Liang, whom they identified as chairman of the Unified
Organization of Overseas Chinese Associations.
Liang did not answer calls to his cell phone Thursday and his voice mail did not
accept messages.
At the Falun Gong news conference, several large photos of Liang were taped to
the wall, showing him confronting Falun Gong members. The photos also included
close-ups of Li, who suffered a black eye and several bruises on his chest and
abdomen.
Before the dinner, practitioner Frank Lee, a computer consultant from East
Brunswick, N.J., said he was confronted but was not attacked.
"They wanted to start a fight and I had no intention to fight anyone," Lee said.
"I told them I'm not here to start trouble, I just wanted to raise awareness."
[...]
Practitioners said their teachings prohibit violence and promote use of
"refining the body and mind through special exercises and meditation."
http://www.nynewsday.com/news/local/manhattan/nyc-gong0627,0,4057589.story?coll=nyc-manheadlines-manhattan