"RESCUE OUR FAMILIES" - Walk in New York City

On December 7 from 9 am to 3:30pm, over 100 Falun Gong practitioners from New York, New Jersey and Connecticut braved snow and cold weather and walked to all corners of Manhattan in teams. Along the routes, practitioners told residents of New York and visitors from around the world the real story of the persecution of Falun Gong and appealed to people from all walks of life for help to rescue their family members being persecuted in China.

Falun Gong practitioners held a press conference outside the United Nations building in New York City, calling for help to rescue their family members imprisoned and tortured in China. (More info at www.rescueourfamilies.org)	Information tables were set up in major tourist and residential areas of Manhattan, and for several hours, many passersby stopped to learn more about Falun Gong.

In the evening, all the walking groups convened at the Chinese Consulate for a closing ceremony. The touching stories of their family members were broadcast loud and clear to the workers in the Consulate across the street.	Many practitioners stayed into the evening and held a candlelight vigil as part of the Family Rescue campaign. (More info at www.rescueourfamilies.org)

At 9am, practitioners gathered at Dag Hammmarskjold Plaza near the United Nations. A press conference was held to tell the stories of their loved ones who are imprisoned in China for their beliefs and call for people from all walks of life to help rescue family members persecuted in China.

After the press conference, practitioners formed over a dozen small groups to walk throughout the island of Manhattan, clarifying the truth and asking for support for the Family Rescue campaign. Wearing yellow scarves embroidered with Falun Dafa, Zhen Shan Ren and sashes and buttons that read, "Rescue family member persecuted in China," practitioners clarified the truth of Falun Dafa and the persecution to residents and visitors from around the world. Practitioners carried signs honouring their family members who have stood up for the freedom to practise Falun Gong in China.

The rescue walk concluded at the Chinese Consulate, where a second press conference was held, followed by a candlelight vigil. Practitioners Fa Zheng Nian [rough translation - sent forth righteous thoughts. This can be understood as a type of meditation] at the top of each hour.

At both press conferences, practitioners from the New York area told of the inhuman persecution their family members are suffering in China, simply because they practise Falun Gong. The practitioners appealed to the US government and kind Americans to stand united with these families and extend their helping hands to rescue those family member and friends who are being persecuted in China.

Participating in the rescue walk were Amy Lee and Ms. Zhang Lizhi. Amy Lee talked about her ordeals in China. Because she practised Falun Gong, she was kidnapped, stripped in jail and brutally beaten to unconsciousness. She was then sent to a mental hospital and force-fed. Because of the pressure from the Jiang regime, Amy's husband divorced her. Amy came to the US to escape further persecution and was forced to leave her 7 year old daughter behind. The Jiang regime refused to issue a passport to Amy's daughter, so she could not be reunited with her mother.

Zhang Lizhi's sister, Lixin, was arrested six times because she practised Falun Gong, and her home was repeatedly ransacked. She was sentenced to three years in prison and subjected to various inhuman tortures, such as being shocked with several electric batons for an hour. She went on a hunger strike for 20 days to protest such inhuman torture. Zhang Lizhi expressed her hope that people from all walks of life would extend their helping hands and demand that the Jiang regime free Lixin unconditionally.

Xintangren TV and Radio Free Asia interviewed the practitioners and reported on the walk.