United States: U.S. Congress Holds Hearing on the Group Attack Case in New York

At 2 p.m. on July 21, the U.S. Congress held a hearing regarding the violent group attack against Falun Dafa practitioners that took place in Chinatown, New York City on June 23. Dennis Halpin, a staff member for a member of the U.S. Committee on International Relations and more than 20 congressional representatives attended the hearing.

On the evening of June 23, 2003, several Falun Gong practitioners in the greater New York area distributed Falun Gong truth clarification materials outside of Chinatown's Yidong Restaurant, where they told the Chinese diplomatic officials who were dining at the restaurant at the time about the persecution of Falun Gong in China. They also spoke of the fact that Jiang Zemin is being charged with genocide in the U.S. for persecuting Falun Gong practitioners. Liang Guanjun and Hua Junxiong, heads of the Confederation of Chinese Associations in New York, beat Falun Gong practitioners outside the restaurant.

Two victims, Li Jun, Zhu Weiyong and attorney Han Shuhui spoke at this hearing. Chicago Falun Gong practitioners also spoke about the assault on practitioners in front of the Chinese consulate in Chicago in 2001.

At the hearing, a Falun Gong spokesperson aired a videotaping of the group attack. The video mentioned that Liang Guanjun, president of the New York Confederation of Chinese Associations, had interfered with and damaged Falun Gong practitioners' legal activities in New York on numerous occasions in the past, and introduced the background of this hate crime.

Victim Li Jun said, "I am a Falun Gong practitioner. We believe in 'Truth-Compassion-Tolerance.' We don't believe in violence. I did what Falun Gong teaches us, which is 'don't return a curse or a blow.' When they saw I wasn't fighting back, they hit me even harder."

Li Jun went on, "...Many people hit me, and I could not open my eyes. My nose began to bleed. At that time I heard them say, 'Don't hit his face! Don't hit his face!' 'Drag him into the restaurant!' Then, I felt them hitting me below the chest and pulling me into the restaurant. Someone sadistically hit my lower body at the same moment."

Li Jun said, "I know if they dragged me into the restaurant, the result would be horrific. On the one hand, they could murder me; on the another hand they could lie and claim I was causing trouble in the restaurant, because the thugs were all over the restaurant. I tried my best not to let them pull me into the hall. I heard a voice say, 'Beating people is not allowed!' then I heard another voice, 'Who are you? Are you a Falun Gong practitioner? We'll beat you!' Afterwards, I learnt they also beat the practitioner who said, 'beating people is not allowed.'"

Li Jun continued, "I don't know the people who beat me and I didn't hold any grudges against them, but at that time I truly felt the atmosphere of terror in which Falun Gong practitioners in China are suppressed and beaten. What surprises me is that such brutal behaviour exists in this free country."

Ms. Xiong, a representative of Falun Gong practitioners from New York said, "For a long time, people from the Chinese consulate had been spreading derogative rumours about Falun Gong in the Chinese community, and they instigate hatred against Falun Gong practitioners. Ever since the Chinese ruling Party began the persecution against Falun Gong, our parades in Chinatown have met with constant interference. Recently, Liang Guanjun, one of the leading perpetrators in the beating, used pressure in the Chinese community and as the result the planned 4th of July parade in New York's Chinatown was cancelled."

A representative of Falun Gong practitioners from Chicago said, "On September 7, 2001, Chinese pro-Party thugs beat and made death threats against Falun Gong practitioners in front of the Chinese consulate in Chicago. On November 13, 2002, Zhen Jiming admitted in Circuit Court of Cook County in Chicago that he and another thug, Weng Yujun, had beaten Falun Gong practitioners."

Attorney Han Shuhui said, "We all know that personal and religious freedoms are protected in the U.S. Hate crimes are taken seriously. Any hate action is prejudice against certain people because of race, age, gender, religion, or anything else. If beating and other criminal behaviours are involved, it constitutes a hate crime."

U.S officials enquired about the details of the case and expressed great concern regarding this group attack case. Xiang Yijun, representative from the office of New Jersey Senator Lautenberg said, "The beating of Falun Gong practitioners in New York is absolutely unacceptable. Senator Lautenberg thinks it constitutes a hate crime. If the Chinese government really took part in this and is interfering with freedom of belief in our land, it absolutely cannot be tolerated. Senator Lautenberg is paying close attention to this case, and he hopes the Chinese government can immediately stop interfering with freedom of belief."