Canada: Local Citizens in Vancouver Congratulate Falun Gong on Winning Their Lawsuit

On October 19th, 2010, the British Columbia Court of Appeal struck down the city bylaw that prohibited Falun Gong practitioners from placing their protest billboards and hut in front of the Chinese Consulate in Vancouver, and ruled it to be unconstitutional and against the practitioners' right of free speech granted by the Canadian Constitution.

British Columbia Court of Appeal Judge Carol Huddart announced that all three judges had reached an agreement that it was a mistake for the lower level Supreme Court to require Falun Gong practitioners to remove their protest signs in front of the Chinese Consulate. The Falun Gong practitioners' protest with billboards and a small hut is protected by the Canadian Constitution, which grants them the right of free speech. It is unconstitutional for the city bylaw to prohibit them from expressing their opinions with structures.

On October 23rd, Falun Gong practitioners were assembled in front of the Chinese Consulate, holding hundred-meter long banners, which read "Falun Dafa Is Good," "The World Needs Truthfulness-Cmpassion-Forbearance," "Dissolve the Chinese Communist Party," and so on.

Many local citizens who passed by greeted the practitioners and honked and waved to them.

Practitioners' banners	Practitioners' banners

Mr. Liu, a 72-year-old practitioner, said that, although Falun Gong practitioners won the case, it was also a Canadian victory. He said that this case exposed the infiltration of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) into Canada. "I knew about the resistance activity in front of the Chinese Consulate when I was in China. Falun Gong practitioners' spirits are very touching. I came to Canada last year. Since then I have joined them every week," Mr. Liu said.

Ms. Zheng, who has come to the protest every week since August 2001, said, "The Canadian government is very supportive. This lawsuit shows it. The Canadian people choose to stand on the side of justice. They will have a bright future."

Ms. Zhang Su, a representative of the local Falun Gong practitioners, said that this lawsuit was meaningful. It showed that Canadian law protects citizens, and it also protects Canada from the CCP's infiltration. She said that Falun Gong practitioners will continue to protest in front of the Chinese Consulate until the persecution stops.

Recently, more than 20 mainstream media in Canada, such as The Globe and Mail, The Vancouver Sun, Province, CBC TV, Canada Free Press, GlobalBC, World Journal, etc., covered the story. Many Canadians left messages on the media websites, offering their congratulations and expressing their support for Falun Gong.