New York: Falun Dafa Procession is Warmly Welcomed in the "Three Kings Day" Parade

By practitioners from New York City

The "Three Kings Day" parade is a Latino tradition held after Christmas. The holiday is to commemorate the fact that three kings from Asia foresaw, through observing constellations, that Jesus would be born over 2000 years ago. So they carried their treasures and made light of travelling from afar and finally reached the stable when Jesus was born. They celebrated with shepherds the birth of Jesus and presented their precious gifts. This parade is also the biggest annual event in the Latino community in Brooklyn, NYC.

The community sponsors respect Falun Gong practitioners very much. On Sunday January 5, Falun Gong practitioners were invited again to join the parade and bring Dafa's blessing to this community.

Three practitioners from different races--black, white and yellow--marched in front. They held a huge blue banner imprinted with golden words, "Falun Dafa" in English and "Truthfulness-Compassion-Tolerance" in both Chinese and Spanish. Following was a large yellow banner imprinted with red words, "Falun Dafa" in English and "Falun Dafa Is Good" in Chinese. Practitioners wearing bright yellow scarves and holding colorful balloons marched behind the huge banners. In the end was a white banner with blue English and Spanish words, "Truthfulness-Compassion-Tolerance." Practitioners marched to the melodious Dafa music.

Falun Gong practitioners' procession was very colorful. The spectators on both sides waved and cheered to practitioners to express their gratitude. They were very happy to receive Dafa introductory materials from practitioners as they passed by.

When the procession passed the main platform, practitioners demonstrated the elegant Falun Gong exercises.

People from the community expressed their sincere gratitude to Falun Gong practitioners for their participation and highly praised Falun Gong's teaching of "Truthfulness-Compassion-Tolerance."

New York Senator Charles Schumer and other government officials also joined the parade. Senator Schumer and his entourage walked just in front of the practitioners' procession. They also took a group picture with Falun Gong practitioners.

Unfortunately, on the other side of the earth, in China, the birthplace of Falun Gong which has gained global attention, people are still deceived by lies, while those kind people who believe in "Truthfulness-Compassion-Tolerance" are suffering ruthless persecution. 544 Falun Gong practitioners have been tortured to death in more than 30 provinces, autonomous regions, and municipalities directly under the Jiang regime.

According to insiders from the government, the death toll of Falun Gong practitioners due to the persecution is as high as 1600. At least 6000 Falun Gong practitioners have been wrongfully sentenced to prison. More than 100,000 practitioners have been illegally sentenced to terms in forced labor camps. Thousands of people were forcibly sent to psychiatric hospitals to receive so-called treatment with drugs that damage the central nerve systems. Large numbers of Falun Gong practitioners have been abducted, detained in brainwashing centers and mentally tortured. A great number of people have been beaten, physically punished and economically extorted by corrupt officials. During the Jiang regime's campaign of state-terrorism, a great many Falun Gong practitioners have been beaten to death, injured, had their families broken up, or were forced to leave home to avoid further persecution. Millions of Falun Gong practitioners' family members, friends and colleagues have been affected by the persecution or subjected to brainwashing to different degrees.