United Kingdom: Falun Gong Protest at London Chinese Embassy Continues During the Pandemic

A man who had been passing by the Chinese Embassy in London told his friend, “This is a very very peaceful demonstration.” They paused behind Falun Gong practitioners doing exercises on the sidewalk and started reading some of the display boards. The man walked over to sign his name on a petition to stop the forced organ harvesting crimes in China. He and his friend then stood silently for a few minutes watching Falun Gong practitioners doing their exercises, before they resumed their travels.

The men were passing the Falun Gong site across from the Chinese Embassy during the evening of February 21, 2021. Even though the coronavirus pandemic has forced people to their restrict travel, wear a mask, and social distance, Falun Gong practitioners have continued to hold their peaceful protest that they started at the site nearly 20 years ago.

Falun Gong practitioners continue to protest at the Chinese Embassy in London during the Wuhan coronavirus pandemic.

Helping People See the Evil Nature of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP)
Ms. Gao Yudong comes to the demonstration site most days and has done so for the past 19 years. “The peaceful protest didn’t stop for a single day,” Ms. Gao said, “When the first lockdown was announced last year, we quickly set up lighting so that passersby could see clearly at night in case we couldn’t come in person.”

Practitioners added lighting to illuminate their display boards at night so passersby could read them.

At the end of 2020, the pandemic had become more severe in the UK, so the government launched more strict travel restrictions, only allowing people to exercise outdoors once a day. Ms. Gao noticed that many people passed by the demonstration site when the weather was good, and since the travel restrictions more people had approached practitioners to ask questions about the persecution. Ms. Gao said she often tells people Falun Gong practitioners are killed for their organs on a massive scale in China, the CCP abuses human rights, lies to the world, and has caused millions of people to die during this pandemic.

“We think it is very important to let people know the true nature of the Chinese Communist Party, especially at this time. If people know the evil nature of the CCP, they can stay away from the plague and disasters,” Ms. Gao said.

One day, a young bus driver who drives by the demonstration site every day parked his bus and hurried over to Ms. Gao, who was meditating, and said, “I am sorry to interrupt you. I only have three minutes. Can I ask you a question? Media have reported that the coronavirus was leaked from a virology lab in Wuhan. Is it true? If so, what should we do?”

Ms. Gao answered, “Whether the coronavirus was leaked from a lab or not, the key point is that you must learn the nature of the communist party through this matter. The CCP doesn’t care about human lives and we know that they covered up the spread of the virus early on. It lies and cheats because it wants absolute control of everything. If you see this point clearly, you can make your own decision. If you choose to distance yourself from the CCP, you are separated from its control and this decision will keep you safe.”

Neighborhood People Treat the Longterm Protesters as Old Friends
Many people living nearby consider the Falun Gong practitioners their friends after 19 years of seeing them opposite the Chinese embassy.

On Christmas Eve, an English man brought a large pizza over to the practitioners at the site. He and his wife live in an apartment building nearby. Due to the lockdown, they couldn’t have a party with family and friends, so his wife suggested they celebrate the holiday with Falun Gong practitioners.

Another couple greeted Ms. Gao and another practitioner at the site on New Year’s Day. The wife said, “I told him [my husband] that we can take a walk to meet our Falun Gong friends. They are always there.” They chatted happily with the two practitioners.

Man from Hong Kong: Happy Chinese New Year!
On Chinese New Year’s Eve, a man chatted with a practitioner named Ms. Fu. The man's name was Mr. Hong and he had moved to London from Hong Kong 30 years ago. He had signed many petitions to end the persecution of Falun Gong over the years. He wanted to learn more about the movement to quit the Chinese Communist Party.

Hong has many relatives in mainland China and he wondered why quitting the CCP would keep people safe. Ms. Fu explained, “As you did not grow up in mainland China, you have not experienced it. When you joined the Party or a Party-affiliated organization, you had to vow to give your entire life to communism. It meant that you gave your life and your soul to this party.

“No political party other than the CCP would ask you to make such a vow. When heaven destroys the communist party through disasters, if you have not quit the Party, you will go down together with them.”

They chatted some more. Mr. Hong said the CCP is against many good things and he knew the teachings of Falun Gong are based on the principles of Truthfulness, Compassion, and Forbearance.

He pressed his hands together in the heshi gesture of respect and wished Ms. Fu a Happy New Year before leaving.

More People Are Seeing the Evil Nature of the CCP
Practitioner Mr. Ma, an engineer who has joined the demonstration every weekend for the past six years, noticed that people were more willing to learn the facts of the persecution of Falun Gong and the evil nature of the CCP since the pandemic.

“One day, two days, one year, two years, now we have been here for 19 years, close to 20 years,” Mr. Ma said, “Many people have learned of Falun Gong through this site.”

Many people signed the petition and told Mr. Ma that they were neighbors and had seen the Falun Gong stand for years. “They came to sign (the petition) only recently because they saw the evil nature of the CCP through the pandemic.

“The attitude of Chinese people has also changed,” Mr. Ma said. “People from mainland China used to avoid us but not so now. I wish more people will learn the truth, choose to side with conscience and justice, and have a bright future.”