Australia: Falun Gong Practitioners Hold Rally and Parade to Protest the Persecution

On July 21st, 2007, at City Square in Melbourne, Falun Gong practitioners held a rally to protest the 8-year persecution of Falun Gong in China. Practitioners displayed banners and held a photo exhibition to raise awareness of Falun Gong and the persecution.

The parade

People signing a petition to support Falun Gong practitioners

The parade making its way through downtown

Mr. Smith from the Falun Dafa Association, Prof. Yuan Hongbin, Ruan Jie, the chair of the Chinese Political Party Alliance, Ms. Ling Ming from the Service Center for Quitting the Party, and other Falun Gong practitioners gave speeches at the rally.

Young practitioners in the parade

Passing out Falun Gong leaflets

Professor Yuan Hongbing said in his speech, "The CCP [Chinese Communist Party] claimed that it would eliminate Falun Gong in three months. Eight years have passed and history shows that evil can never win over good and tyranny cannot triumph over the belief in "Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance.'"

Professor Yuan called upon people to eliminate the CCP's grip on power, and to call for more freedoms for the Chinese people. He urged, "Let us support Falun Gong and spread the Nine Commentaries on the Communist Party. I believe that in the near future, a new China without the CCP will be born."

Mr. Ruan Jie, the chair of the Chinese Political Party Alliance, called upon Western society to take the opportunities presented by the Olympic Games 2008, and exert more pressure on the CCP until it stops the persecution and improves the human rights situation in China.

Many citizens and tourists were attracted to the rally. Paul William of Southern Australia expressed the feeling that the CCP regime is not qualified to hold the Olympic Games. He supports Falun Gong and signed his name. 70-year-old Theodoie Boack heard about the rally from the newspaper. He came to the rally to support Falun Gong. He stated that people should have the freedom of belief. He said that the persecution is against the spirit of the Olympic Games, and the Olympics should not be held in China if the persecution is still going on.

After the rally, practitioners held a parade. Many people watched the parade and accepted the fact-clarifying materials distributed by practitioners along the parade route.