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The Chinese Public Institute has a long history in Chinatown, and it closely associates with the Chinese Embassy. On the Festival celebration last year, because we did the exercises in a small park in Chinatown, they received pressure from [the Chinese Embassy], and came to try and drive us away. As we had obtained approval from the city government, officials in the city government and the police allowed us to continue using the small park. This time they first took the permit to use the small park. When we applied to rent a booth, the person in charge said to our practitioner, "You're forbidden to do the exercises at the booth." The practitioners realised that we haven't clarified the truth to them enough, so the practitioners went multiple times to talk with the persons in charge, and kindly explained to them and told them about the truth of "Tiananmen Self-Immolation Incident." The practitioners also showed them Resolution No. 188. But they still insisted that we could not do the exercises, and their attitude was very negative. They claimed that they had right to do so since they organised the celebration activity. The day prior to the celebration, the practitioners went to clarify the truth to them for the last time, the person in charge said they received great pressure, and did not want to talk with the practitioners any more. When the practitioners asked where the pressure was from, the reply was "Inconvenient to tell."
The practitioners determined that we could not stop practising the exercises. Some practitioners consulted an attorney. The attorney said that the Chinese Public Institute violated the law. He said if they came to disturb us for practising the exercises, immediately let him know, and he would come. He also told the practitioners to remain calm all the time and take pictures for evidence. Some practitioners contacted the media. Several newspapers and TV stations felt shocked at the news, and asked the practitioners to inform them if anything happened, and they would come to cover it.
Our booth was temporarily moved from the centre of the main street to a corner at the end of the street. As it was near the stage where the Cantonese play was performing, and under the shadow of the building in the front, many people who watched the Cantonese play and dodged the burning sunshine, came to look at our display boards. Practitioners kept doing the exercises and doing Fa Zheng Nian [rough translation - sending forth righteous thoughts] from very beginning. Practitioners who are good at drawing drew portraits for visitors. The liveliness of the portraits and the serenity of practitioners' doing Fa Zheng Nian added to the joyful and harmonious atmosphere at our booth.
Several people from the Chinese Public Institute came to our booth, and left without saying anything. Many candidates for governor, vice governor and minister of finance came over with their working staff and listened to practitioners talk.
Two practitioners wanted to clarify the truth to people from the Chinese Embassy. They came across them as soon as they went out. Wearing bright yellow T-shirt, the practitioners smiled and shook hands with them. The practitioners told them not to follow Jiang Zemin to persecute Falun Gong. The officers kept silent. After the talk, the practitioners waved goodbye to them and went back to the booth.
The Boston Globe specially dispatched reporters to observe the situation. Practitioners said they were pleased that no trouble occurred. The reporter wrote down in detail the whole thing and asked practitioners to contact him if anything happened.
A Chinese visitor said that he liked to stay at our booth. Looking at the painters drawing portraits for visitors, watching practitioners' doing the exercises, and listening to the Cantonese play nearby, he was unwilling to leave. The practitioners asked if he knew about Falun Gong. He said he heard about it, but didn't know much. When he called his relatives in China to ask about it, they were so scared that they told him not to ask. The practitioner clarified the truth to him, and he felt that Jiang Zemin's deeds were unacceptable. He said China's economy is becoming better, but people's morality should also be good. If Jiang does such heinous things to such peaceful people, won't China fall back? He took the Dafa truth-clarifying materials and videotapes and said he would study them. When he heard that Falun Gong has been spread in over 60 countries and regions around the world and there are 100 million people practising it, he said happily, "The Chinese people should be proud of this."
As our booth was located in a shady place, many people lined up for portrait drawing. The painters wrote "Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance" on every painting.
The one-day Fa-spreading and truth clarification successfully concluded.
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