Spain: People of Madrid Respond to Signature Drive to End the Persecution

On April 14, 2012, Falun Dafa practitioners of Madrid, Spain organized a photo exhibit and signature drive at Callao Plaza, exposing the Chinese Communist Party's 12-year-long persecution of Falun Gong in China.

Callao Plaza is located in the most bustling commercial area of Madrid, where thousands of people come every day to numerous commercial buildings and stores. The practitioners set up display boards and a signature collection table near the exit of the subway station so people could easily see the event.

Several tourists from other cities of Spain, such as Zaragoza, Alicante and Ciudad Real, came to the exhibit and signed the petition. Many of them showed interest in learning the Falun Gong exercises so the practitioners told them how to find the local practice sites.

In addition to the domestic tourists, many foreigners also learned about the persecution of Falun Gong in China through the exhibit.

A couple from Greece didn't understand why the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) wanted to persecute an exercise practice that benefits both mind and body. A practitioner told them that the CCP maintained its rule through lies and violence. It can't tolerate millions of Chinese having faith in the principles of Truthfulness, Compassion and Forbearance and thus launched the brutal persecution. The couple learned the truth and showed interest in learning the Falun Gong exercises.

One woman said she was very upset about the torture of Falun Gong practitioners in China. She wanted more fliers to show her friends and to take to the Chinese stores near her house. She said she wanted to do more to end the persecution, “I wish I could sign my name three more times to end this persecution sooner. I wish you good luck and hope more people learn the truth. Your actions are very respectable.”

One college student signed his name and wrote down his ID number and name. He then told a practitioner, “I have never signed a petition form before because a lecture is usually not enough to convince me and I will not sign my name without actually seeing the problem with my own eyes. But today's speech touched me. From the beginning it was already shocking. I trust [Falun Dafa practitioners] about the persecution [in China]. This is my first public signature.”

A few Chinese tourists came to the exhibit and looked at the display boards. One girl and one young man quickly registered to quit the CCP, the Youth League and the Young Pioneers. But one girl didn't want to listen and chanted agitatedly, “I know the Chinese Communist Party is bad. Actually everyone knows the Communist Party is bad. But what you are doing here now makes people think China the country is bad.” A practitioner talked to her, “The Communist Party is not China the country, and the party itself can't represent all Chinese people. For example, when the world condemns Nazi brutality, no one means Germany or its people are brutal.”

But the girl wasn't convinced. Then a practitioner said, “Let me ask you a question, if one of those tortured practitioners in the photographs were your relative, what would you think?” She felt silent. The practitioner continued, “Under the brutal rule of the Chinese Communist Party, your relative, your family member could be persecuted like this.” She nodded her head but didn't say anything. The practitioner handed her the truth-clarification fliers and a CD. She accepted them. Before she left, she took a copy of the book Disintegration of the Party Culture and said, “I respect your selfless and persistent endeavors. Thank you!”