(Minghui.org) “It was not until I came to the United States that I learned people outside China could practice Falun Dafa freely,” said Chinese immigrant Mr. Dai, as he watched a Falun Dafa parade in Brooklyn on August 23. Standing on Eighth Avenue, he said that much information in China is blocked or distorted. After coming to the free society in the US, he finally had the opportunity to learn the facts.

Mr. Dai was not alone. Many people in Brooklyn, including some in the Chinese community, said this was the first time they saw a Falun Dafa parade. They were surprised to hear about the 27-year persecution by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), which included forcibly harvesting organs from practitioners.

Approximately 1,000 practitioners in the greater New York area participated in the parade. The procession ran from 66th Street to 43rd Street, and traversed the main Chinatown business district. Many residents, including Chinese families, stopped to watch, take photos, and record videos along the route.

Falun Dafa practitioners held a grand parade in Brooklyn on August 23, 2026.

Brooklyn’s Chinatown is located near Eighth Avenue in the Sunset Park area. Large numbers of Chinese people began settling here in the 1980s, gradually forming one of New York City’s largest Chinese communities.

The Falun Dafa practitioners’ parade consisted of three sections. Led by the Tian Guo Marching Band, the first section showed how Falun Dafa is practiced around the world. In addition to an exercise demonstration and banners, the section also included models of Falun Dafa books, a dragon dance, a float of heavenly maidens, and a taiko drum performance.

The second section focused on the CCP’s persecution of Falun Dafa since 1999, calling for help from the international community to end the persecution in China as well as its transnational repression overseas.

The third section expressed support for the 460 million Chinese people who have withdrawn from the CCP and its affiliated organizations, namely the Youth League and the Young Pioneers. The section consisted of banners, a large model of the book Nine Commentaries on the Communist Party, a dragon dance, and a waist drum performance.

As the brightly colored procession passed by the densely packed shops along Eighth Avenue, many parents stopped with their children to watch. People also came out of the shops along the street to take pictures. Many said the parade brought not only excitement, but also information they never heard before.

Hong Kong Immigrant Praises Practitioners’ Perseverance

Mr. Lin, in his 70s, stood at the starting point of the march and his camera almost never stopped. “Their [practitioners’] spirit of upholding their faith is very good and commendable,” he said. “Their perseverance in seeking justice for the persecuted is truly remarkable.”

Mr. Lin immigrated to the United States from Hong Kong in 1997 and has lived here for nearly 30 years. Over the years, he’s seen Falun Dafa practitioners holding parades and protests against the persecution on numerous occasions. Seeing such a large-scale procession again today, he said, “The parade is excellent and very well-organized. This event is very important.”

During the CCP’s political movements in China, Mr. Lin’s parents also experienced various forms of persecution. So he agreed with practitioners on the importance of freedom of belief and freedom of expression. He said, “I see Westerners participating as well. We all believe the world needs freedom."

Mr. Lin encouraged practitioners to keep up their efforts. He also hoped that in his lifetime, he could see Chinese people regain their basic rights.

Some other Chinese residents watched a Falun Dafa event for the first time. Ms. Chen from Fujian Province stood by the roadside with her young daughter. “The parade was very well-organized, and the participants were in high spirits. My daughter really enjoyed watching it,” she said. In her opinion, it was great that such an event came to her community.

Helping Educate the Younger Generation

Lulu Estrella, who has lived in Brooklyn for 42 years, currently works as a nurse at a nearby medical center. She was delighted to see the march in the community, as it gave local residents the opportunity to come together and raise awareness about what is happening in China. “I’m glad they [practitioners] are able to expose the CCP’s bad deeds,” she said.

What impressed her most was the peacefulness displayed by the practitioners. “You could tell this was a peaceful group, expressing their requests in a non-violent way and letting more people know about the persecution,” she said.

Lulu said such events are especially meaningful for the younger generation. She believes that many young Chinese Americans were born and raised in the United States, and such events can help them understand what is happening in China. This way, they can learn and reflect on what is going on in this world.

Another Brooklyn resident, Rosa Lopez, was deeply impressed by the values conveyed by practitioners during the parade.

Brooklyn resident Rosa Lopez.

Rosa believes that society today needs more empathy. “I think it’s important to have marches like this in the community, so that people will know the CCP’s brutality. This way, we can understand what the Chinese people are going through, what they believe, and what’s happening there,” she continued. She also believed that people should stand together and speak out in the face of persecution.

“I Did Not Know They Were Harvesting Organs From People—It’s Shocking!”

Brooklyn resident Elizabeth Lorenzo and her fiancé Brian Caulfield watched the parade.

Elizabeth Lorenzo, a long-time resident of Brooklyn, and her fiancé Brian Caulfield.

Through this parade, they learned about the persecution of Falun Gong practitioners and other faith groups in China. They said this was the first time they heard about the CCP’s forced organ harvesting.

“I didn’t know they were harvesting organs from people—it’s shocking,” Brian said. Upon learning that Falun Dafa practitioners had been imprisoned, tortured, and even persecuted to death for their belief, he said, “It’s horrific.”

Brian thanked practitioners for raising awareness of the situation in China. Elizabeth also believed that such events can help more people learn what’s happening. “The more people know about this, the better,” she explained.

When he heard the U.S. Congress passed the Falun Gong Protection Act in 2025, Brian said it was good news. He was glad that more people stood up to condemn the persecution. He added that sanctions and other measures can be used to hold those involved in the persecution accountable.

Australian Youth Practitioners: 27-Year Persecution Is Too Long

Many Western practitioners also participated in the parade. Eric Nugent, from Australia, currently works as a graphic designer in Manhattan. He started practicing Falun Dafa more than 20 years ago when he was 16.

He heard about the persecution in China shortly after he began to practice, and he found it hard to understand. “A group of kind people who follow the principles of Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance is so cruelly suppressed for their beliefs. It’s unimaginable,” he said. This greatly shocked him and his family.

He and his family looked for ways they could help with the situation in China. That is why, in the past two decades, Eric has participated in numerous parades and other activities to expose the CCP’s persecution.

Eric said that many Chinese people who live in New York still aren’t aware of the persecution Falun Dafa practitioners are subjected to in China. He hopes that through these public events, more people will have the opportunity to access this information. “The persecution has lasted for 27 years and should not continue. We hope to rescue practitioners in mainland China, and we also hope to make this world a better place,” he explained.