Denmark: Nordic Dafa Practitioners Collect Petition Signatures to Oppose Hong Kong’s Article 23 Legislation and Stop the Persecution of Falun Gong Practitioners

In order to support the Hong Kong people’s call for justice, oppose the legislation of Article 23 and stop the persecution of Falun Gong, Dafa practitioners from Denmark and Sweden carried out a series of activities under the theme, “Oppose Article 23 and End the Persecution.” These activities took place in on 5th and 6th July 2003, in Denmark’s capital, Copenhagen, and Sweden’s third largest city, Malmo.

Despite the fact that the practitioners came from two different countries, verbal communication was never a problem because everyone knew what they were supposed to be doing. Some practitioners encouraged the public to sign the petition, some talked with people, some played videotapes about Article 23, and some demonstrated the beautiful Falun Dafa exercises.

Through the persistent efforts of Dafa practitioners, those who believe in justice and the 500,000 people who paraded in Hong Kong, Article 23 has become the focal point of international news. As we collected petition signatures, people often told us that they already knew about the situation and signed their names without hesitation. We truly felt that the atmosphere is changing, and the evil powers can no longer control the situation but merely make a last struggle before total failure.

Copenhagen is busy with tourists from all over the world, as well as many Chinese people. The day of the signature collection happened to be the opening day of the annual Jazz Festival in the city. A big crowd had gathered there with countless people milling around. There are many touching stories from this signature-collecting campaign:

Two parents brought their children over to meet the practitioners. After the adults signed their names on the petition, the innocent children asked why they did it and then also signed their names. The smallest child used his tiny hand that could hardly hold the pen properly, and wrote his name after much effort.

A physically disabled lady sat in a wheelchair and was pushed towards us. Through patient determination, this physically disabled lady signed the petition with her shaking hand.

A Chinese person came to us and heard our explanation about Article 23 and the terrible effects it would have. He said, “Although I don’t quite understand Article 23, I am willing to sign the petition. I know there is no liberty in China. The Chinese scoundrel government can do anything!”

Across the street there was a fruit cart. Practitioners approached the vendor and told her about the evil Article 23 law that would endanger Hong Kong’s future. She soon agreed to sign her name. By the0n, there were a lot of customers waiting in line to pay for their fruit around her cart, yet she still seriously signed her name before turning to her business.

A professor who teaches philosophy at a local University raised a lot of sharp and provocative questions directed toward the practitioners. Practitioners answered his questions with patience, reason and depth, and their kindness touched him. At last, he said that he too was against the way in which the Chinese regime deprives the people of their rights. He just wanted to see if we had a clear and reasonable understanding and way of thinking. Certainly, by this time he saw that this was definitely true.

A practitioner who had just begun to practise stood in front of the photos of our fellow practitioners being brutally persecuted in China and told the people with a graphic description that if Article 23 is enacted in Hong Kong, the people in Hong Kong will face the same miserable fate and may even lose their lives as a consequence of the persecution. Many people signed the petition without hesitation.

A Chinese student, who came from Master Li’s hometown, was in the city searching for part-time work. He was astonished to see that there are so many friendly western people practising Falun Gong. Looking at the scale of our activity, he said that he used to misunderstand Falun Gong because of the Chinese regime’s propaganda. Although he also heard about how people’s health had been improved through practising, he always thought that this was none of his business and did not care about it. It was only after he went to a foreign country that he realised things in China are not as simple as he had thought: “Now that I know that you are nice and kind-hearted people, I will definitely let my friends know when I return home and show them the materials you gave me. Bless you!”

Translated from Chinese at http://yuanming.net/articles/200307/22139.html