UK: Falun Gong Practitioners Appeal in front of 10 Downing Street before the Prime Minister Visits China

On the 16th July, Falun Gong practitioners in the UK peacefully appealed in front of 10 Downing Street. Because the British Prime Minister, Mr. Tony Blair, is going to make a state visit to China from 20th July, the practitioners hope Mr.Blair will raise the human rights issue with the leader of the Chinese Communist Party during his visit to China.

About 2pm, the practitioners arrived at the appeal site assigned by the police one after another. They then put up banners, practised Falun Gong exercises and sent forth righteous thoughts, as well as distributing leaflets to the passers-by. At 3pm, a few representatives of Falun Gong practitioners went into Downing Street as arranged to hand in several appeal letters to the Prime Minister’s Office. Those appeal letters were written by several Falun Gong practitioners who sincerely wanted to deliver their thinking from their hearts to the Prime Minister after they heard he was going to visit China in few days. They hope that during Mr. Blair’s visit to China, the Prime Minister will raise this issue to the current Chinese leaders, and ask them to stop persecuting Falun Gong practitioners in China, especially for Mr. Jian He, who is the UK practitioner Mr. Bin He’s younger brother. Jian He was arrested and tortured by Wuhan police, and has been secretly kept in a local hospital, his whereabouts unknown. Three other UK practitioners also have family members imprisoned in china: Baolian Zhu and Yongjie Zhu detained in a Chinese prison and labour camp. Also Mr. Xujun Zheng, former visiting scholar to the University of Liverpool, and his wife Nan Su, who has been detained in Beijing Tuanhe Labour Camp and the No.1 Sichuan Female Prison separately.

During the 5-hour peaceful appeal, there was occasional light rain to cool down the hot weather. Falun Gong practitioners continued to practise the exercises and send forth righteous thoughts every hour. When passers-by saw practitioners peacefully doing meditation, they all stopped walking and carefully read the banners, and then asked for Falun Gong materials or took photos of practitioners. Some of them also enquired about Falun Gong classes. Among the passers-by, there were some Chinese tourists. Practitioners were very happy when they saw those Chinese tourists accept the truth-clarifying leaflets and VCDs gladly. Since the UK Falun Gong practitioners insist on clarifying the truth of Falun Gong, appealing peacefully, and letting many warm-hearted British people know how to support Falun Gong. At this time, practitioners also handed in the signatures collected in the UK, which represents public opinion, to the Prime Minister’s Office.

Towards evening, when practitioners finished sending forth righteous thoughts, the appeal activity in front of Downing Street came to a successful close.