(Minghui.org) Falun Gong practitioners gathered across from the Chinese Consulate in New York on the evening of May 11 to call for an end to the ongoing persecution of this peaceful cultivation practice in China.

While practitioners quietly did the Falun Gong exercises, some held banners worded “Falun Dafa is good,” “Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance,” “Stop the persecution of Falun Gong,” and, “Stop the Chinese Communist Party's (CCP) live organ harvesting.”

The peaceful protest drew the attention of passers-by. Some accepted flyers to learn more about the situation, while others paused longer to talk with practitioners.

The practitioners hope that through their protest, more people, including those who have been misled by the CCP's propaganda, will come to understand the facts about Falun Gong and the persecution in China.

Falun Gong practitioners peacefully protest the persecution in front of the Chinese Consulate in New York on the evening of May 11. 2017.Doing the Falun Gong exercises as a group.

Public Support for Falun Gong

Sandara (right) and Rosban (left) expressed their support for the peaceful protest.

Sandara and Rosban were jogging along the Hudson River when they saw the protest across from the consulate. Rosban slowed down and took photos with her smart phone. Sandara said that she was pleased to see Falun Gong again on the same day that she'd seen the World Falun Dafa Day celebration on Union Square earlier.

A practitioner talked with them in depth about Falun Gong and why the CCP persecutes the practice. The two ladies expressed their support for the practitioners' efforts to expose and end the persecution. Rosban said, “It is incredible to persecute this beneficial practice. I learned this only today. More people must know about the persecution.”

John Crichan, a tourist from Italy, was bicycling along the Hudson and paused to learn more about Falun Gong. He said he'd been in Shanghai for a while. His friends had mentioned Falun Gong and he'd learned that the practice was popular in the 1990s and that the CCP banned it later, as it is so different from the CCP's atheism.

John said he understood why so many practitioners were taking part in the protest. He said, “It is hard to change the world in one day. But if more such events are held, the world will change one day.” He affirmed the importance of freedom of speech and freedom of belief for any society and any part of the world.

John also said that the CCP's state-sanctioned forced organ harvesting from living practitioners was horrible, a tragedy for humanity. He strongly supported practitioners' effort against the persecution.

Gratitude to the Founder of Falun Gong

Tataina (middle) from Latvia practicing Falun Gong in front of the New York Chinese Consulate on May 11.

Tataina from Latvia traveled to New York to participate in the World Falun Dafa Day celebrations. When asked what her wish was in front of the Chinese Consulate, she said right away, “I ask the CCP to stop the persecution. I want people to be aware of the persecution and help stop it. I wish that Chinese people would be free from the CCP's control.”

Tataina, a furniture designer, started practicing Falun Gong in 1998. When asked about her experience with the practice, she said that what she wanted to say most was to express gratitude to Master Li, the founder of Falun Gong, “I can feel changes in my thoughts, heart and spirit every day. Every day is new. Master, thank you!”