Russia: St Petersburg Dafa Practitioners Protest at the Chinese Consulate Against the Jiang Group's State Terrorism

On the afternoon of July 7th, 2004, St. Petersburg Falun Gong practitioners displayed a banner at the Chinese consulate in Russia, to protest against the extension of the Jiang group's state terrorism in foreign countries and calling for an end to the persecution of Falun Gong.

Yielding to China's economic temptations and diplomatic pressure, the Russian government this time denied Falun Gong practitioners' application for permission to demonstrate at the Chinese consulate. Therefore, Falun Gong practitioners decided to have one practitioner make a protest each time on behalf of the others (Based on Russia's recently passed law, a protest by one person requires no application in advance). One practitioner displayed a banner in the protest, handing out materials about the shooting incident in South Africa to passers-by. Some of the practitioners explained the facts to the consulate security staff and police who hurried here when informed of the protest, while the others were sending forth righteous thoughts. A reporter from a local newspaper interviewed a practitioner who was making a protest.

One thing is worth our mentioning here. After the protest began, the Russian police were pressured by the Chinese consulate to force the protesting practitioner to turn the back of the banner to the consulate. Then the Chinese consulate took a step further by asking the police to throw the banner on the ground. Fortunately, the police chief understood the truth and helped the practitioner turn banner round to face the consulate again.