April 25 - Anniversary of Falun Gong's Peaceful Appeal in Beijing in 1999
Some 10,000 Falun Gong practitioners peacefully gathered outside the Appeals Office in Beijing, adjacent to "Zhongnanhai," the central government compound of the Chinese Communist regime, on April 25, 1999.
The practitioners asked for three things, most notably the release of several dozen practitioners who had been improperly arrested in Tianjin a few days before.
By the end of the day, the practitioners' requests had all been granted by Premier Zhu Rongji.
Nevertheless, the CCP and its propaganda mouthpiece later twisted the facts and labelled what had been acknowledged as a "peaceful appeal" as a "siege of the Central Government Compound." This was part of a massive campaign to turn public opinion against Falun Gong, and unfortunately, it proved quite effective.
Every year now, practitioners around the world mark the passing of April 25th with various events to remind the people of the world what truly happened that day, despite the vicious propaganda to the contrary that Party officials continue to spread to this very day.
More About What Happened on April 25, 1999
Based on video evidence, at least 10,000 Falun Gong demonstrators gathered outside Zhongnanhai to deliver a petition to Communist Party leaders -- an unprecedented turnout considering the regime's efforts to silence public expression.
The images captured by ABC cameramen showed an orderly assembly of Chinese people, standing in a row several people deep, stretching two kilometers along the tree-lined sidewalks beside the Forbidden City. Some practiced Falun Gong exercises, while others were sitting or reading. The unique silent protest appealed for two things: to regain the Communist regime's official recognition of Falun Gong and to petition for the release of Falun Gong practitioners arrested in the coastal city of Tianjin.
Police refused to let practitioners approach the main Appeals Office. They directed them into a position opposite Zhongnanhai that seemed to surround the complex. This tactic was a calculated move that was used to falsely accuse Falun Gong practitioners of "besieging" the building.
After hours of negotiations between the demonstrators and Beijing officials, five representatives of the group were invited to speak with Premier Zhu Rongji. Mr. Zhu shortly issued an order to release the practitioners arrested in Tianjin and the crowd quietly dispersed between 10:30 and 11:30 p.m.
To read more about how the Party turned the Peaceful Appeal into a propaganda ploy to incite hatred and distrust for Falun Gong, click here .