(Minghui.org) On February 28, 2013, officers from the Xinglong Police Station in Shizhong District, Jinan City, Shandong Province, arrested and ransacked the homes of two Falun Gong practitioners, Ms. Gao Yongxiang and Ms. Zhang Huaiyin.
The police also arrested the husband of another practitioner, Ms. Nie Demei. They ransacked the homes of practitioners Ms. Su Peilin and Ms. Zhang Yanxiang and harassed other practitioners.
The police failed to explain the grounds for the arrests or provide a warrant.
1. Ms. Gao Yongxiang, 54, is from Jinan City, Shandong Province. She had always been frail and prone to illness since a young age. She was diagnosed with heart disease after she got married and had to carry heart medicine with her at all times. She was living in difficult financial circumstances because of the large medical bills. Many of her friends and relatives helped her pay her medical bills.
She started practicing Falun Gong in 1998. She studied the Falun Gong books and practiced the Falun Gong exercises every day. She followed the teachings to become a better person and became increasingly healthy. She had as much energy as a young woman. Her entire family was thankful for what Falun Gong did for her.
When the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) started persecuting the practice in 1999, she went to Beijing to appeal for Falun Gong. She ended up getting arrested and was sent to Zhonggong Brainwashing Center. She continued to practice Falun Gong after she was released. She would share with people how Falun Gong restored her health and gave her a new lease on life.
However, someone who fell prey to the CCP's hate propaganda against Falun Gong reported her to the police. The police began to harass her and her family at her home. Her family succumbed to the pressure and tried to make her give up the practice. Her neighbors looked at her as though she were mad. Yet she persevered in practicing Falun Gong that teaches her to become a better person.
A man named Zhao with the Neighborhood Committee threatened her: "If you will not renounce Falun Gong, I will make sure you can't get a job." She had been followed everywhere for the past few years. Whenever she found a new job, her employer would fire her several days later because she practices Falun Gong. Her husband was unhappy with her because she was unable to bring in any income. She was arrested on the afternoon of February 28, 2013, and sent to Jinan City Brainwashing Center in Dajiangou.
2. Mr. Zhang Huaiyin, in his 60s, is from Jinan City. He started practicing Falun Gong in 1998 because he was suffering from a myriad of illnesses. He was so ill that he was unable to work or do any household chores. In fact, he had spent a fortune on his medical treatments. When he stopped working, his wife worried about his health and the family finances. She sought many different medical treatments for him, but nothing worked.
When Falun Gong was introduced to their village, his wife encouraged him to give it a try. Soon he became completely healthy and was able to work again. His wife was very pleased. They were even able to build a two-story building as an income property. They led a happy, harmonious life.
But it was not all easy sailing. Mr. Zhang took on a job to tear down a building in 2009. While he was on the job, the building suddenly collapsed. Unconscious, he was taken to the hospital. He was diagnosed with comminuted fractures on the left side of his pelvis and in his feet. He was told that he would be disabled for life. He decided to check out of the hospital in less than four weeks because he felt he shouldn't incur more medical expenses for his employer. His wife demanded that he sue his employer, but he refused. He insisted that he would nurse himself back to health and would not blame his injury on his employer.
His wife fell prey to the CCP's lies about Falun Gong and added salt to his wounds. She burned his collection of Falun Gong books and reported to the village CCP committee that he practiced Falun Gong. Then she moved him into a shack despite the fact that he depended on her to care for him. When fellow practitioners heard about this, they called on him. They brought him Falun Gong books, food, and encouragement. They even brought his family rice, flour, and oil and helped take care of his paddies. His neighbors commented that his fellow practitioners were dearer to Mr. Zhang than his own brothers.
Mr. Zhang persevered in studying the Falun Gong books. In time he was able to stand. Next he was able to cook for himself. Then he was able to walk up to the mountain on crutches and pull weeds from the paddies. Then he found a job as a construction worker. When he got his first paycheck, he gave it to his wife. He does not harbor any bad feelings for what she did to him.
3. Ms. Nie Demei is from Xinglong No. 3 Village. She started practicing Falun Gong in 1998. Her family had gone through many tribulations in the past decade. It was only due to Falun Gong that she was able to prevail over these difficult times.
She lost her only son to a car accident. Next, her older brother and sister-in-law passed away. She adopted their child and raised him as her own. After her son died, she treated her daughter-in-law like her own daughter. She has always conducted herself according to Falun Gong's teachings. Her neighbors and relatives all sing in her praises. She is the person her brothers and sisters go to when they have problems. They say she makes great decisions because she has a good, righteous heart. She would take such opportunities to tell them how Falun Gong teaches its practitioners to become better people.
The police broke into her home at around 10 p.m. on February 28, 2013. When they tried to ransack her home, her husband tried to stop them. He told them, "You shouldn't burn all your bridges." The police went berserk and arrested him. He was locked up at the station overnight and released the next day. The police tried to arrest Ms. Nie Demei, but her daughter-in-law stopped them.
4. Ms. Su Peilin, 65, started practicing Falun Gong in 1998 to treat her illness. She once succumbed to the CCP's persecution and gave up the practice. After she had a stroke, she decided to started practicing again. Then she became completely well again. She has been very happy and content over the past ten years. Her neighbors commented that she was a great person.
She was just about to retire for the night at around 9 p.m. on February 28, 2013 when the police knocked on the door. She opened the door to several officers. One asked, "Where have you been today?" "I attended a funeral." Her son and daughter-in-law heard the commotion and came over. Her son said, "Let the old lady practice Falun Gong. She does it for her health." Her daughter-in-law added, "My mother is healthy because of Falun Gong." The police were speechless for a moment. Then they said they were going to see if they had a printer or computer at home. They barged into her son's room and did not find a printer. They turned on the computer and found nothing but children's animation movies. Finally, they confiscated her Falun Gong books, photos of Falun Gong's founder, and an MP3 player and left.
5. Ms. Zhang Yanxiang, 64, started practicing Falun Gong a few years ago because she was suffering from several different illnesses. She got better and eventually became completely healthy. She didn't have much education, but she is very funny. People enjoy listening to her tell stories about Falun Gong.
The police knocked on her door on the evening of February 28 and ransacked her home. They confiscated her Falun Gong books and an MP3 player. The police did not present a search or arrest warrant, nor did they explain the reason for the arrest.
