Finland: Practitioners Expose the Persecution on July 20th in Helsinki

Falun Gong practitioners in Finland held a series of activities on July 20, 2012 to raise public awareness of the 13-year persecution of Falun Gong by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).

Practitioners in Finland meditate in front of the Chinese Embassy on the morning of July 20.

A candlelight vigil at dusk to mourn the practitioners who have died in the persecution.

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People sign the petition to express their support for Falun Gong.

Practitioners in Helsinki held their activities on the afternoon of July 20 in Esplanade Park, a popular tourist attraction. They put up display boards calling for support to end the persecution, and held a candlelight vigil to honour the practitioners who have lost their lives for remaining steadfast in their belief during the CCP's 13 years of persecution. They also set up an information table where people could sign a petition to express their support for the practitioners' efforts.

A young Finnish man who can speak Chinese came over to the information table. After listening to a practitioner talk to him about Falun Gong and the persecution, he signed the petition to express his support for Falun Gong practitioners. He told the practitioner that he is studying in China, and has many Chinese friends. He wanted to bring the information to them. The practitioner told him the way to circumvent the CCP information blockade on the Internet. The young man was very happy and said that he would definitely tell his Chinese friends so that they would also have an opportunity to learn about the true situation.

A Chinese woman who went to the Chinese Embassy for some business told a practitioner that she was moved by the practitioners' perseverance. She said that she saw practitioners quietly sitting there when she came here every year. She finally announced her resignation from the Young Pioneers, one of the CCP's organizations.