(Minghui.org) The Oakland Chinatown StreetFest is one of the largest Asian American festivals in the United States. Falun Gong practitioners in Oakland, in the San Francisco Bay Area, held a signature drive during the two-day cultural celebration on August 24-25, 2013.
Hundreds of visitors signed the petition to show their support for the practitioners' efforts to end the forced organ harvesting atrocities committed by the Chinese communist regime. Several recent immigrants from China attended the festival. They understood the evil nature of the regime and withdrew from the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and its affiliated organizations.
Many people sign a petition calling for an end to the CCP's forced organ harvesting atrocities
The annual StreetFest consisted of more than 200 booths, featuring Asian crafts and products. Thousands of people from all over the Bay Area came to experience Asian culture and traditions. Falun Gong practitioners set up a booth to raise awareness about the brutal persecution of Falun Gong in China.
“It's horrible! So evil!” “It's a tragedy, I support your effort!” were people's responses as they signed the petition after they read about the forced organ harvesting.
Saturu Ned, an Oakland area pastor, signed the petition and said, “It's a tragedy that people had their organs harvested and are killed because of their beliefs. It's wrong wherever the persecution occurs, and I absolutely support your efforts to end it.”
Susan from San Leandro said that it was disturbing that the Chinese regime harvested organs from living Falun Gong practitioners without their consent.
“It's very evil!” Ms. Hollman from Alameda said. She has a Falun Gong friend and knows that Falun Gong is good and that the persecution is going on in China. She signed the petition as soon as she read the information about forced organ harvesting on the signature board and was concerned. “When will the Chinese regime stop the persecution?” she wondered.
Another visitor said, “It's very important to sign for those who are unable to make their voices heard. People should speak up against the forced organ harvesting. If everyone steps forward, the power would be enormous.”
Oakland resident Ms. Carla Mann signed the petition and said, “Live organ harvesting is immoral. It's cruel, and it is wrong! I'm wondering why such a thing still happens in contemporary society.”
Mr. Xuan from China said that he had a negative impression of Falun Gong when he was in China because of the communist regime's false propaganda. After he moved abroad, he read Falun Gong books in the library, learned about the true situation, and discovered that everything the regime said were lies. He announced his resignation from the Young Pioneers, one of the CCP's affiliated organizations.
