United Kingdom: European Divine Land Marching Band in London

Saturday July 26th was a beautiful, sunny day in London. In order to expose the Chinese Communist Party (CCP)'s nine long years of brutal persecution, practitioners in the UK took to the streets of London along with the European Divine Land Marching Band. They paraded along the busiest commercial streets, ending up in the famous Trafalgar Square for a press conference and activities to raise awareness about the persecution of Falun Gong.

As practitioners in the UK have held many parades in the city centre, many Londoners are no longer surprised to learn about Falun Gong being persecuted by the CCP. But today’s performance by the European Divine Land Marching Band allowed more to hear the truth about Falun Gong, deeply moving everybody present.

Around noon, Falun Gong practitioners gathered in front of the Chinese Embassy in London. At the front was the European Divine Land Marching Band, which attracted a lot of attention. Some eighty band members came from a dozen countries across Europe, such as the UK, Germany, France, Ireland, the Netherlands, Sweden, Denmark, and Belgium. The sun shone on their crisp white and blue uniforms and golden musical instruments.

Immediately following the band were twenty female practitioners in white. Each held a flower wreath with a photo of a practitioner persecuted to death by the CCP. After this solemn display of the evidence of the CCP’s crimes, banners and slogans gave clear anti-persecution information. Banners were written in Chinese and English, “The persecution of Falun Gong in China has lasted for nine years. Immediately stop the persecution.” “Immediately stop persecuting Falun Gong.” And “Please extend a helping hand to stop the CCP persecuting Falun Gong.” Following the anti-persecution squad were those supporting forty million brave individuals who have withdrawn from the CCP and its affiliated organisations. Those holding the slogan “forty million have quit the CCP” included Chinese as well as westerners, even a few mums pushing prams. “The CCP will fall, don’t be its victim,” the slogan at the end of the parade warned compassionately.

The Divine Land Marching Band’s performance began! Drumming, flutes, trumpets suddenly turned the busy London streets into an eye-catching mobile stage. Marching in neat paces, practitioners from all over Europe demonstrated the beauty of Falun Gong with different instruments but the same compassion. During the parade the band repeated four songs, “Falun Dafa is good”, “Fa Drums and Trumpets Shake Ten Directional World”, “Ode to Joy” and “Delivery Treasure”.

Falun Gong practitioners’ parade and especially the performance of European Divine Land Marching Band made it a very special day for London. Because it was a school holiday weekend with brilliant weather, tourists and shoppers packed the streets. The deep and rich music shook everyone’s heart. People in the streets seemed to have been dumbfounded. They slowed down to accept leaflets. The crowd immediately gathered wherever band music boomed, forming spectacles of layers of welcoming crowds. Carefully observing the parade from both sides of the streets, onlookers had surprise on their faces. Many took out video cameras, cameras and mobile phones to record the precious moments. When the parade passed the construction site next to BBC Headquarters, workers at heights stopped what they were doing to take photos with mobiles. In busy streets some followed the band for a long time taking photos. People came out of shops.

Tourists came from all over the world, including those from other places in the UK as well as foreigners from Spain, Poland, Slovenia, Australia, etc. There were also many Chinese in the streets, some also accepted leaflets. Many interviewed heard about Falun Gong for the first time. None of them could imagine such a persecution was happening.

After the parade passed, a mother and a daughter stood by the road carefully reading the truth leaflet. The mother wore a traditional Indian dress. They were from Cardiff. Daughter Silvia was a pharmacist. Silvia said that they heard about Falun Gong for the first time. They were saddened by the deceased Falun Gong practitioners’ photos displayed in the parade. Not being able to understand why such things would happen, they were looking for answers in the leaflet in a hurry. The mother questioned, “Why do the media not focus on this?” “Where can we find Falun Gong?” “How can I help?” When told that she could let as many people know the truth as possible, she answered firmly, “I will. I will tell more people about this.”

A few lads in work uniform dropped what was in their hands to watch the parade at the street corner. As it turned out they were from Poland. One of them who could speak English, Mariusz, said that he completely agreed that Communism should be done away with. He asked proudly, “Do you know, Poland was the first country to end Communism. Then followed Russia and the Czech Republic.”

The grand parade ended on the North Terrace of Trafalgar Square. Participants then held a press conference. Speakers at the conference included the President of the UK Falun Gong Association Mr. Peter Jauhal, UK Falun Gong practitioner Lord Francis Thurlow, the Vice President of the European Friends of Falun Gong Mr. John Dee and a representative of European Divine Land Marching Band. In their speeches they all expressed a common wish, i.e. to immediately stop the CCP’s persecution of Falun Gong. Mr. John Dee also urged people to fully understand the crimes CCP committed against Falun Gong and adopt concrete actions. Mr. Dee said, “During the past nine years, the CCP has committed persecution and murder unparalleled in history.” “It is time for the world to act.” “We will give the CCP government a clear message: that is to immediately stop the persecution!”

After the press conference, the band performed again. Drums suddenly bellowed and the whole square was immersed in majestic music. Following the music, people from all corners gathered together at Falun Gong practitioners’ truth display.

After the band’s performance, practitioners continued demonstrating Falun Gong’s five exercises till the end of the event. As usual exercise demonstration attracted a large number of tourists around Trafalgar Square. Many signed anti-persecution petition forms immediately after reading the information boards or leaflets. The activities also attracted some media people.

Reporter Born is a tall, middle-aged western man. He recorded the Divine Land Marching Band and Falun Gong practitioners for a long time. When the band was playing “Falun Dafa is good”, he took the initiative to sign the petition form. When asked why he support stopping the persecution, he answered clearly, “For these kind of people (Falun Gong practitioners) one persecuted to death is one too many.” “Truthfulness, Compassion and Forbearance are basic human morals. Without these, we are nothing.”

Phillip is a journalist Two weeks ago he met an old friend from fifteen years before. This friend practices Falun Gong and told him about the truth about the persecution. Phillip immediately decided to do something for practitioners. Today he followed the entire parade. He thought it was fantastic to parade through downtown streets to Trafalgar Square in terms of letting people know what is happening in China. He will publish today’s recordings onto his website as soon as possible before the Beijing Olympics so that more people can see it. Phillip predicted the success of the anti-persecution, “After all, the persecutors are the minority and the persecuted are the majority.”