(Minghui.org) Falun Dafa practitioners from Massachusetts and Rhode Island participated in the 14^th Annual Africa Festival at Boston Common on August 17-18, 2024.

Practitioners introduced the spiritual practice to people at the Falun Dafa booth and demonstrated the five exercises. People encouraged the practitioners to continue working for justice and an end to the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) persecution.

Attendees of the 14^th Annual Africa Festival at Boston Common sign a petition calling for a stop to the CCP’s persecution of Falun Dafa.

Practitioners talked to attendees about the CCP’s persecution of Falun Dafa, also known as Falun Gong, and collected signatures to support the U.S. Falun Gong Protection Act. Many local residents and tourists from the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, France, Germany, Latin America, India, Pakistan, other U.S. states, and China stopped at the Falun Gong booth to learn more.

Many people were astonished after learning about the CCP’s forced organ harvesting from living practitioners. Several people told practitioners that they would look into the organ harvesting atrocity more deeply.

Practitioners collected more than 560 signatures during the two-day event.

Hoping Practitioners Continue Fighting for Justice

Clinton Graham, a candidate for Massachusetts state representative, signs the petition and poses for a group photo with practitioners.

Clinton Graham, a candidate for Massachusetts state representative from Milton, went to the Falun Dafa booth early in the morning. Practitioners introduced Falun Gong to him and told him about the CCP’s persecution. They also told him that the U.S. House of Representatives had passed the Falun Gong Protection Act, and that they hoped the Senate would also pass it and make it law. Mr. Graham said he was very happy to learn about this, and he signed the petition. He expressed his support for Falun Gong and said he hoped that practitioners would continue collecting signatures and work hard for justice.

Visitors Support Falun Gong

An older man went to the Falun Dafa booth and saw practitioners holding up a petition board. He walked straight up to the practitioners, picked up a pen, and signed the petition. “I know you are being persecuted by the CCP. I will support everything you do,” he said.

A girl signed the petition and said to a practitioner, “This petition is very meaningful. I am happy to help you.”

The practitioners met a well-dressed couple. The man said that he had heard of Falun Gong. After talking with practitioners and learning more about the situation, he took the initiative to sign the petition and said, “Falun Gong is great. I support what you are doing. It is horrible that Falun Gong practitioners’ organs are being harvested while they're alive by the CCP for profit.”

Chinese Students Learn About Falun Gong

A pair of young students from China came over to the Falun Gong booth. The girl carefully listened to a practitioner and asked how to understand the word forbearance. The practitioner explained her own understanding and gave examples of why forbearance means that one should be able to not fight back when hit or scolded. The practitioner continued to answer a few questions for the girl and talked about the CCP’s persecution and the nature of the Party. Before leaving, the girl hugged the practitioner and sincerely thanked her for sharing with her, because it had given her a deeper understanding of things that she had not been clear about before.

A middle-aged woman from China asked for a copy of the Nine Commentaries on the Communist Party and said she would take it back to read.

A middle-aged couple who had just come from China asked what the practitioners were doing. A practitioner gave them a detailed explanation, and they understood the truth and agreed to withdraw from the CCP and its affiliated organizations.

People Condemn the Persecution

Practitioners introduced the petition collection to students from Boston University who were attending the cultural festival. After a student carefully read the petition collection instructions, he asked the students next to him to come over and look. Other students also carefully read the petition board, and they all signed the petition to support the Falun Gong Protection Act.

Practitioners introduced the petition collection to a group of Indian and Pakistani people by telling them that Falun Gong is a peaceful practice method that follows the principles of Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance. The practitioner also talked about the CCP’s persecution of Falun Gong and the CCP’s live organ harvesting in China. One of them said that he had heard about this and had seen it on the Internet. During the conversation, they all signed the petition.

A practitioner met a group of African Americans and told them about the CCP’s persecution of Falun Gong. He also told them about his own experience of being illegally detained and beaten by the CCP in China. He showed them the scars on his wrists. The group was shocked. Everyone signed the petition to show their support for Falun Gong and gave the practitioner a thumbs up.

Over the two days, many people who went to the booth were interested in Falun Gong. Some learned to practice the exercises on the spot. Some took fliers and said they would read them carefully and try to learn the five sets of Falun Gong exercises. Many people encouraged the practitioners to persist in their efforts to obtain justice.