(Minghui.org) Falun Gong practitioners in San Diego, California gathered on July 17, 2021, to do the meditative exercises together and talk to people about the persecution of Falun Gong in China. In the evening, they held a candlelight vigil near the USS Midway Museum.

Falun Gong practitioners practice the exercises near the USS Midway Museum in San Diego.

Candlelight vigil

Practitioners talk with passersby about Falun Gong and the persecution in China, and collect signatures for a petition.

Doroles Williams from Arizona said, “It’s very attractive to meditate so peacefully. Of course we want to know why these people are here.”

Ms. Williams and her husband didn’t understand what they could do about the persecution in China, which is far away.

Ms. Fang, a practitioner, explained the CCP’s extension of its influence beyond China’s borders. Ms. Williams said, “We understand what happened and the CCP’s infiltration in the United States. We also understand that this kind of suppression that occurs in China could also happen in the United States. So we need to know the truth, or we will be blocked like being behind a curtain.”

Ms. Williams lent her support to Falun Gong practitioners. “This is a beautiful peaceful movement, absolutely, yes. They use such a peaceful method, not a violent mega-gathering. Such a peaceful event is more attractive.”

A tourist named Julie said that the scene of the Falun Gong exercises was “very nice and peaceful with a beautiful message.” She said, “This information should be spread widely. People need to understand it.”

Julie also told the practitioners that she subscribes to The Epoch Times and has a lot of knowledge about the CCP’s persecution of Falun Gong. When she heard that the China Tribunal in London had released its judgment on the CCP’s organ harvesting of Falun Gong practitioners, she was shocked, and tears instantly filled her eyes. “These facts are cruel, but people need to know them,” she said.

The practitioners also held a car tour calling for an end to the CCP and continued to collect signatures at scenic spots.

A high school student named Vetri and his family signed the petition. Vetri said, “The reason I signed is because I know that the persecution and suppression in China are caused by communism. So the first step is to end communism so that the Chinese people can have democracy and freedom.”

Michael Macturk, a company department head, said, “I fully agree with the message here. Communism is evil. It is an evil force in our world. More people should oppose it. More countries should oppose it so the Chinese people can have hope.”