Followers of the eastern practice of Falun Gong protested against persecution in China yesterday. A group of practitioners handed out leaflets, demonstrated exercises and collected signatures on a petition in Abbey Church Yard.
The petition, which calls for the release from labour camps of family members of Chinese Falun Gong practitioners who live abroad, will be sent to the British Government.
It is hoped that the government will put diplomatic pressure on China to end the persecution which, according to campaigners, has led to more than 2,750 people being tortured to death.
Falun Gong is a practice based on peaceful exercise and meditation, with what followers say are the central tenets of truth, compassion and tolerance.
In 1999 it was outlawed by the Chinese Government after practitioners held a peaceful vigil involving 10,000 people in the capital, Beijing.
It is thought that the scale of the protest and fear of the popularity of Falun Gong, which had an estimated 70 million followers in China, led to the ban and subsequent persecution.
Simon Miller, 44, a mental health worker who organised yesterday's protest, said: "We're aiming to raise awareness of both Falun Gong and the human rights situation in China.
"A lot of people don't know much about the situation.
"Petitions calling for release of practitioners have succeeded in the past, so we hope we can help rescue people."
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