United States: "Great Wall of Courage" Calling for Help to Stop the Persecution of Falun Gong Held In Manhattan

On the 28th of August, 2004, about 400 Falun Gong practitioners from across North America, Europe and Asia formed a "Great Wall of Courage" on Park Avenue in Manhattan, New York City. The "Great Wall of Courage" started from 45th Street and extended to 59th Street. Yellow banners with blue words read, "Help Stop the Persecution of Falun Gong" together with other types of banners and display posters that were also displayed along the entire "Great wall of courage." Waldorf Hotel was located at the intersection between Park Avenue and 49th Street. This famous hotel has long been the guest-house where important political figures choose to stay. Falun Gong practitioners held an anti-torture exhibition with a live re-enactment demonstration of the tortures used on practitioners in China.

Falun Gong practitioners from different countries and ethnic backgrounds wore yellow T-shirts imprinted with the words, "Falun Dafa is great" and "Stop the Persecution of Falun Gong" orderly stood along one side of the pavement. They displayed banners, demonstrated the Falun Gong exercises and distributed materials to vehicles or people passing by so as to inform them about the facts regarding Falun Gong. The activity lasted for more than two hours.

While waiting for the traffic lights, many drivers and passengers were very delighted to accept the offered materials. Some drivers rolled down their window to ask for the information. Some even honked their horns to grab the practitioners' attention and show their support. One senior person held up both of his thumbs towards the practitioners.

Mr. Huang from Washington DC said, "We would like to use this special way of forming the Great Wall of Courage to express Falun Gong practitioners' uncompromising courage in face of the five-year-long brutal persecution by the Jiang's group and urge the American people from all walks of life to take a serious look at the persecution and its extension to American soil."

Ms. Chang will be a mother in two weeks. She said, "In China, the physical and mental tortures subjected to Falun Gong practitioners are extremely shameless and ruthless. Many pregnant Falun Gong practitioners were forced to have abortions. Some of them had already been pregnant for 7 to 8 months. Some who just gave birth were imprisoned with their newborn baby. While we are enjoying our meals or drinking tea, Falun Gong practitioners in China are suffering from the inhuman tortures. Lots of people still don't know much about the brutal facts. It is my responsibility to come here to attend this activity. I hope to allow more people to learn about the facts and reach out their helping hands to stop this persecution."

The ten-thousand-mile-long Great Wall symbolises courage and wisdom in the hearts of people throughout the world. Today, Falun Gong practitioners exhibited the "Great Wall of Courage" in Manhattan and display the persistently peaceful and unyielding spirit of Falun Gong practitioners in face of the five-year cruel persecution, as well as their resolute faith that righteousness will eventually defeat the evil persecution.