Chicago, USA: March Calls to End the Persecution of Falun Gong

(Minghui.org) Practitioners held a march in Chicago’s Chinatown on August 16, 2025, to introduce Falun Gong (Falun Dafa) and call on the public to help stop the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) persecution and transnational repression.

Because the march took place during the peak travel season, many tourists were visiting Chicago. The march started from Sun Yat-Sen Park, a landmark attraction in Chinatown. The procession was led by practitioners carrying banners reading: “Falun Dafa is good” and “Truthfulness, Compassion, Forbearance,” followed by a Tang drum team and a float. Next came the exercise demonstration team and a commemoration team who were dressed in white to pay tribute to the practitioners who died from the CCP’s persecution.

March in Chicago on August 16, 2025 calls to end the CCP’s persecution and transnational repression.

Barbara

Barbara said the greatest significance of participating in the Chinatown parade was to showcase Falun Dafa and dispel the lies and misunderstandings perpetrated by the CCP: “I will continue to tell more people about the persecution. The CCP’s transnational repression of Falun Gong practitioners has never ceased. I have personally experienced harassment and intimidation, and my car was vandalized. But it’s encouraging to see that many people who initially misunderstood Falun Dafa and held negative views have gradually come to understand the truth and actively support Falun Dafa.

“I want to encourage our Chinese friends not to be intimidated or succumb to the CCP’s tyranny. We will continue to clarify the truth until more people recognize the CCP’s evil nature,” she said.

Jim, a media professional from Minnesota, has practiced Falun Gong for 21 years. He traveled to Chicago to participate in the parade, and said he had something important to share with the Chinese community, “I want to say to all Chinese people: Please take a moment, calm down, and listen to what Falun Gong practitioners are saying with an open mind. Don’t just listen to the CCP’s propaganda; distinguish right from wrong.”

Jim from Minnesota

Regarding the CCP’s manipulation of American media to conduct a transnational repression, Jim said that certain American media outlets were exploited, using the CCP’s one-sided reporting style to spread distorted information, which has had a detrimental impact. Practitioners’ response to the CCP’s transnational repression is to be more proactive in presenting the truth to the public.

Jim said, “The Falun Gong Protection Act and the Stop Forced Organ Harvesting Act, both unanimously passed by the U.S. House of Representatives, impose sanctions on those involved in forced organ harvesting, rather than symbolic measures. Locally, we are also contributing articles to newspapers to help more people learn about the persecution. It’s especially important now that more and more people are aware of and discussing the CCP’s transnational repression.”

Mr. Wang, a Falun Gong practitioner and software engineer who was pursuing a doctorate at the University of Nebraska in 2019, said he had experienced an incident of the CCP’s transnational repression.

That fall, Mr. Wang represented his university’s Friends of Falun Gong Club at the university’s welcome event, the Big Red Street Festival. During the event a group of Chinese students, led by a middle-aged woman, gathered in front of their booth and unfurled a large CCP flag, completely obscuring the booth.

Mr. Wang said that while no physical altercation occurred, they shouted at Falun Dafa practitioners loudly, and with hostility. Despite repeated intervention from university staff, they took only a few steps back. It was only after police intervened that they maintained a distance to allow passersby and students to pass.

Mr. Wang said that the incident had a devastating impact, not only targeting persecuted groups like Falun Gong but also damaging the reputation of the Chinese people. He said, “This incident made me realize that even in remote places like Nebraska, in the central United States, the CCP has infiltrated. But the residents here are mostly Christians and the environment is peaceful. They seldom witness threatening incidents. At the end of May this year, the Nebraska State Legislature passed the Crush Transnational Repression in Nebraska Act and the Foreign Adversary and Terrorist Agent Registration Act, which specifically mentioned China.”

Public Learn About Falun Dafa

Carman Cox and his wife learned about Falun Dafa.

Carman Cox and his wife came to Chicago from Springfield, the capital of Illinois, and they were interested in the practitioners’ march. Mrs. Cox said, “The Falun Dafa float is so beautiful. It’s a great parade.” They were happy to have this opportunity to learn about Falun Dafa.

Jim & Vonda Munday liked the march.

Jim and Vonda Mundy watched the march in Chinatown. Vonda said, “The parade was wonderful. Truthfulness, Compassion, and Forbearance are beautiful and worth learning!”

Kip Barnes and his wife wish to learn more about Falun Dafa.

Kip Barnes and his wife said excitedly, “The parade is really beautiful. We can’t wait to learn more about Falun Dafa.”

Brian Lema, his friend Joan Barapi, and Brian’s mother

Brian Lema, his friend Joan Barapi, and Brian’s mother were visiting Chinatown and enjoyed the march very much. Brian said he felt fortunate to learn about Falun Dafa and thanked practitioners for sharing the information with them.

Jinny Lopez (second from left) and her family said they support Falun Gong.

Jinny Lopez and her family enjoyed the march. Jinny said, “It’s great!” They also strongly support Falun Gong practitioners’ protesting the persecution.