Bulgaria: Hundreds of People Signed a Petition Calling for an End to the Persecution

On the central alleys in front of the National Palace of Culture in Sofia, the capital of Bulgaria, practitioners marked eight years from the beginning of the oppression against Falun Gong in China, which started on 20th July 1999 at the decree of the former Communist leader Jiang Zemin and led to thousands of deaths and broken families.

Practitioners lined up six big posters which were divided in to three topics: the spread of Falun Gong in eighty countries, the persecution in China and the violent organ harvesting against Falun Gong practitioners by the Communist regime.

Locals and tourists found out more about Falun Gong by reading the posters and talking with practitioners

Many locals and tourists gathered before the posters and asked many questions about the persecution and what Falun Gong is. Hundreds of petition signatures were gathered in only a few hours from people who wanted to call for an end to the persecution. A man from New Zealand said he had already signed a similar petition in his home country and gladly signed the Bulgarian petition.

People queued to sign the petition calling for an end to the persecution

Many people were shocked by the cruelty of the persecution. One man, who said he knew about the persecution, stayed until the end of the activity and listened with great interest to the explanations of the practitioners. After he heard about the terrible situation of the practitioners in China, he asked: “How do the doctors who harvest the organs live?”

There were people who, after learning that the crimes are done by the Communist regime in China, immediately signed the petition. Moreover, some wanted to learn how to practise Falun Gong and where they can learn the exercises. A child asked if there are children who became victims of the persecution and after learning the facts, also signed the petition.

At night candles were lit on the floor and there were still crowds of interested people

The event continued until late in the evening. When it became dark, practitioners put candles on the ground in front of the posters, forming the words “Falun Gong” in Bulgarian. The glowing letters drew the attention of many people passing by and they came in groups to find out what is happening. All of them supported the efforts of the practitioners to stop the persecution. They explained that the candles are also to commemorate over 3,000 Chinese people who have been killed for not giving up their faith in Falun Gong and the principles of Truthfulness, Compassion, and Tolerance.