Over 600 Armed Police from Harbin Ransack Homes and Arrest Practitioners in Shuangcheng City, Heilongjiang Province

In April 2002, the "610 Office" launched the "Specialized Taskforce Committee" in Harbin City, which marked the start of another round of persecution of Falun Dafa practitioners in Heilongjiang Province.

On April 19, 2002, more than 600 armed police arrived in Shuangcheng City, and together with local police, started to arrest Falun Dafa practitioners. To complete this task they set up barricades at all the major roads to interrogate all pedestrians passing through. In addition, they forced each passer-by to curse Falun Dafa and its founder, Mr. Li Hongzhi; otherwise, they would not let the pedestrians through the barricade. Such actions made the pedestrians feel disgusted, and privately these people said, "Should these be the actions of the so called 'people's police'"

After setting up these blockades, the police then started to carry out their planned arrests. Zhang Guofu, the head of "610 Office" [a bureau specifically created by the Chinese government to persecute Falun Gong. It has absolute power over each level of administration in the Party, as well as over the political and judiciary branches] in Shuangcheng, made the arrest list himself. More than 40 Falun Dafa practitioners were arrested on the evening of April 19th alone. Some practitioners were still asleep when police broke into their homes and dragged them away. When the police asked several practitioners who live on the fifth floor in a residential building to open the door, they did not cooperate with the police. Then the police used a crane to break in through the window and forcibly took the four Falun Dafa practitioners away. The neighbours witnessing this were astonished and said, "They [The police] are just like thieves or gangsters, treating innocent people like this. Our country is really hopeless."

Some of the arrested practitioners were directly sent to Harbin for interrogation. These policemen from Harbin did not leave Shuangcheng until after April 25 (a date they consider sensitive). On both May 12 and May 18, Harbin police went to Shuangcheng again and arrested more Falun Dafa practitioners.

The police raids and arrests caused a severe loss of the truth-clarifying materials. Many Falun Dafa books and materials were confiscated, and many Falun Dafa practitioners were forced to abandon their homes. More than 50 Falun Dafa practitioners are currently illegally detained at the Shuangcheng Detention Centre. In June, many Falun Dafa practitioners were kidnapped and sent to the Wanjia Forced Labour Camp, with the excuse of having them attend so-called "Studying Classes." It was said that those who did not give up their beliefs would be made to stay for an extended term. Meanwhile, some unlawful officials were dispatched from Shuangcheng to Wanjia Labour Camp to join the officers in the camp to persecute Falun Dafa practitioners.

We hereby sternly warn Shuangcheng's police: Please don't do anything against your conscience. By treating Falun Dafa practitioners in a kind and humane manner, you are also treasuring your own future.