France: Exposing the Persecution of Falun Gong by the Chinese Communist Party

On November 30th, Falun gong practitioners went to Lyon to raise awareness about Falun Gong and the Chinese Communist Party (CCP)'s brutal persecution of Falun Gong practitioners.

Lyon is also the place where the Summit between Europe and China was scheduled to be held. This time, the CCP has unilaterally postponed the Summit by saying that the French President was going to meet with Dalai Lama in Poland as an excuse.

The assembly was scheduled to start from Comedy Square where the Summit between Europe and China should have been held. The European Divine Marching Band (made up entirely of Falun Gong practitioners) played several original pieces of music, including a piece called “Falun Gong is Good”. Slowly, the number of people watching grew.

Tang Hanlong, the Chairman of the Falun Gong Association in France made a speech at the scene. First of all, he told the audience what Falun Gong was: “Falun Gong is a way of cultivation based on Truthfulness, Compassion and Tolerance, according to which, cultivators can amend their own actions and enhance their moral standard. The reason why we are here holding the assembly is that this group of innocent people are being brutally persecuted by the CCP in China where Falun Gong practitioners are being tortured and abused and even having their organs removed by the CCP. Falun Gong practitioners overseas are calling for justice from all walks of life so as to put an end to the evil persecution of these kind people”.

Then, the European Divine Marching Band cleared the way and closely following them was the procession composed of Falun Gong practitioners and a variety of human rights groups. They walked along the Avenue of the Republic of Lyon (Rue de la République) and then arrived at the Republic Square (de la République). They passed by the Jacobin Square (Place des Jacobins), went across the downtown area (Rue Edouard Herriot) and finally arrived at Trudeau Square (Place des Terreau) where the government of Lyon is located.

Falun Gong practitioners demonstrated the five Falun Gong exercises. Many onlookers, one after another, began to imitate and some asked the practitioners to teach them the exercises.

While distributing leaflets to passers-by, a French girl was telling a Falun Gong practitioner: “I am here specially supporting you.” She was very angry at the persecution of Falun Gong by the CCP. She is a qigong lover. On reading a piece of news that Falun Gong would hold an activity, she decided to come here offering her support.

Ms. Sizzana is a local resident in Lyon and also a Yoga enthusiast. She and her friends said what Falun Gong practitioners were doing was very good: “You should oppose the persecution and pursue freedom of belief.”

On hearing a young Chinese practitioner tell her that Falun Gong is for cultivating “Truthfulness. Compassion and Tolerance” and is now being persecuted in China, a kind old French lady was deeply moved. With a French way of expression, she kissed this practitioner and then said, “You have done very good job. Keep doing it.”