(Minghui.org) During the recent Lantern Festival celebrations in London’s Chinatown on February 24, practitioners set up a table and displayed information about Falun Dafa and how practitioners are mistreated in China for their belief. Many passersby talked with practitioners and some signed a petition to help end the persecution. 

Practitioners introduced Falun Dafa during Lantern Festival celebrations in Chinatown on February 24. 

Residents and tourists read the information.

Chinese Tourist: The Importance of Traditional Values

Ms. Zhang from China recently came to the UK to accompany her 12-year-old son to study. She celebrated the festival with her parents and son. She explained that she worked for a news media in Beijing, so she knows how the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) lies to mislead people. She also knew the regime defamed Falun Dafa with propaganda such as the staged Self-Immolation Incident at Tiananmen Square. 

A practitioner explained to the family how the CCP promotes atheism and does not allow people to have spiritual beliefs. By doing so, it cut off mankind’s connection with the divine and this contributes to society’s downward slide. Zhang said she visited the United States in the past and she hopes her son can live in a free society without suppression. She agreed with traditional values and said that kindness brings people blessings and prosperity. 

When Ms. Zhang’s son asked why the CCP persecutes Falun Dafa practitioners, the practitioner said the Party’s doctrines of violent class struggle contradict the principles of Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance promoted by Falun Dafa. Seeing the popularity of the practice, former CCP leader Jiang Zemin launched the nationwide persecution in July 1999. Practitioners have been peacefully raising awareness of the persecution for years despite the brutality and lies. 

Ms. Zhang said traditional values are critical for our society. Impressed by the benefits of Falun Dafa on mind and body, she said she would return and talk with practitioners. Her mother also enjoyed talking with practitioners and learning the facts. She hopes the younger generation such as her son will know what is going on and become a good person. 

Spanish Physician: Freedom of Belief

Geme, a physician from Spain, said her friend worked in China for a year as a diplomat. The friend said the persecution of Falun Dafa by the CCP is wrong. Because of this, Geme said she’s interested in reading news about Falun Dafa. 

Geme (left)

“It’s hard to imagine a government could torture citizens. Meditation is a very good lifestyle that brings a calm mind. Freedom of belief is critical everywhere in this world,” Geme said.

Dental school student Timo (right) and her friend.

Timo signed the petition calling to end the brutality in China. She said the cruelty in China should stop because it is vicious to harm innocent people like this. 

Her friend was also glad to sign the petition and thanked practitioners for protecying moral principles despite adversities. She said people should not be mistreated for following the teachings of Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance, and she would tell people about what is going on in China. 

British Artist: We Need Kindness Not Suppression

Victoria is an English artist and she’s involved with securing human rights for Tibetans. Because of this, she said she knows how severely the CCP persecutes anyone who has spiritual beliefs in China. She said many people in China are suffering. “We need kindness—not suppression,” she said. 

Victoria and her daughter.

Victoria explained that she meditates and prays for suppressed groups in China. She’s also written letters to parliament members asking them to help Falun Dafa practitioners suppressed in China. She said she will tell her friends what she learned today. 

As she watched practitioners peacefully do the exercises Victoria was very interested in learning about Falun Dafa, and said she would visit the FalunDafa.org website. 

American Tourists Sign the Petition

Muhammad is an IT professional from the U.S. and he and his friends read the posters. They all signed the petition, “To help those who are deprived of freedom, because everyone has the right to live with dignity,” he said. 

American tourists were happy to sign the petition to help end the persecution of Falun Dafa.