United States: Falun Gong Practitioners Hold Candlelight Vigil in front of the Chinese Consulate in Los Angeles, California, Commemorating the Eighth Anniversary of the April 25th Appeal

On April 25th, 2007, Falun Gong practitioners from Los Angles and local citizens who support Falun Gong held a rally and candlelight vigil in front of the Chinese Consulate to commemorate the "April 25th" Appeal and expose the Chinese Communist Party's (CCP) brutality.

The practitioners displayed a number of large banners at the rally and candlelight vigil. The banners read: "There is nothing wrong with the April 25 Peaceful Appeal"; "Falun Dafa is good"; "Stop the persecution of Falun Gong"; "Quit the evil party for a wonderful future"; and "Condemn the CCP's harvesting organs from living Falun Gong practitioners."

Representatives of Falun Gong practitioners, Mr. Li Youfu and Liu Xiantan, the chief editor for China Affairs, Mr. Wu Fan, the secretary of the Chinese Social Democratic Party, Mr. Liu Yinquan and the representative from the Global Service Center for Quitting the Party, Mr. Li Hailun gave speeches at the rally.

Mr. Li Youfu recalled the whole process of the April 25th Appeal. Mr. Liu Xiantan told how he learned about Falun Gong through the April 25th Appeal. He said: "One day I was on my way to work, and heard people talking about the appeal on the radio. It was my first time to hear about Falun Gong."

Mr. Liu found the local exercise site and has been practising Falun Gong since then.

Mr. Wu Fan also recalled that he learned about Falun Gong through the appeal event. He was amazed when he heard that Falun Gong practitioners didn't leave any trash behind, not even a piece of paper, at the site of the appeal. He was eager to know what kind of group this is. Later, through contact with Falun Gong practitioners, he learned that they are a group of good people. So, he started reading Falun Gong books and doing the exercises too.

Mr. Wu Fan said that Falun Gong is not an ordinary group. After eight years of anti-persecution efforts, Falun Gong practitioners have already passed the most difficult gates. He said that the CCP is destroying itself during the persecution of Falun Gong. More than 20 million people have quit the party, and Heaven will eliminate the CCP soon.

Mr. Liu Quanyin, the secretary of the Chinese Social Democratic Party, strongly condemned the persecution of Falun Gong and called for the CCP leadership to stop the persecution.

Mr. Liu pointed out that Jiang Zemin's gang cannot see how beneficial Falun Gong is to the country and society, and as a result they have brought disaster to China. He said that the CCP will come crashing down soon.

Ms. Li Hailun condemned the CCP for its persecution of Attorney Gao Zhisheng, a well-known human rights lawyer, who has been supporting Falun Gong and speaking out for practitioners. Mr. Gao has written to the Chinese leaders on behalf of Falun Gong practitioners. However, he was arrested by the CCP and sentenced to prison, and is now under strict house arrest.

Ms. Li said that during the eight-year persecution, many people have recognised the evil nature of the CCP. More than 20 million people have quit the party, and a new China without the CCP will be born soon.

She pointed out that the root of the CCP has been pulled out and nobody can save it anymore. She called upon all party members to quit the CCP in order to secure a wonderful future.