Overseas Falun Gong Parade Shocks Chinese

People who travel abroad see things they cannot see at home.
For Chinese tourists, the shock to their soul
is stronger than sightseeing when they are abroad.
On July 1 and October 1, a large number of Chinese will travel
to Hong Kong or other Western countries to watch massive parades they cannot see in China.
The parade of Falun Gong practitioners and groups
who have Quit the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) have great impact on the Chinese people.
Perhaps it is a spiritual shock.

On October 7, Falun Gong practitioners in North California
were invited to join the yearly 「Columbus Day Parade.」
The 「Heavenly Band」 was at the beginning
of the Falun Gong group,
followed by a float with practitioners
demonstrating Falun Gong exercises.
The Falun Gong group is one of
the largest groups in the parade.

Tourists from China were surprised.
They yelled: 「Falun Gong is so grand!」
「I did not expect they are so strong overseas!」
There are also westerners in the team.

San Francisco Falun Gong practitioner, software engineer
Lu Ping said that this parade is a local event, not the largest parade by Falun Gong practitioners.

Lu Ping: 「The parade organized by us
has a big, long troop, and we carry flags and banners.
The 「Heavenly Band」 is at the front,
followed by teams lined up in squares.
The Columbus parade is a smaller parade for us.」

In Hong Kong on the Oct. 1st of the National Day Parade,
the Falun Gong group also shocked tourists from China.
Their banners: 「Disintegrate the CCP, Stop Persecutions」;
「Bring Jiang Zemin to justice, Stop Organ Harvesting」;
「Falun Dafa widely spread to the World」 and So on.
Many tourists took photos for the moving view.
A main land student who studies in HK said that

He couldn't believe that Falun Gong group was protected
by HK police in public during the parade, which was impossible in China, he was so amazed.

A netizen posted comments after watching an internet video
of a Falun Gong parade done last year.
He wrote: "Falun Gong practitioners are brave.
They also hold parades in HK (Hong Kong).
Chinese people with conscience are deeply touched.

I really admire these Falun Gong practitioners,
and also hope the HK government safeguards their freedom.」

Commentator Lan Shu: 「The information blockage,
and CCP's persecution of Falun Gong,
brainwashed people with a Falun Gong image
made up by the CCP's propaganda.
It is such a contrast when they see Falun Gong practitioners
walking righteously in the parade overseas.
Although the parade is not only about Falun Gong,
it still shocks them.」

Before the CCP started the persecution of Falun Gong in 1999,
there were 36 countries with Falun Gong practitioners.
Since the persecution, Falun Gong spread across the world
in the challenging situation.
Now there are 114 countries with Falun Gong practitioners.

Since 2000, each year 6,000 - 10,000 Falun Gong practitioners
from all over the world gather in New York City on May 13 to celebrate 「World Falun Dafa Day.」
They dress up in national costumes and line up
in square teams. The parades are held at Manhattan.
It has different sections including 「Heavenly Band,」
「Dafa Spreading to the World,」 「Dissolving the CCP,」 and 「Float.」
Many people and tourists watch the parades, which help them
learn of CCP's brutal, widespread persecution.

Lan Shu: 「As an evil organization believing in communism,
the CCP cannot imagine a spiritual belief can develop so fast under persecution.
In Chinese people's traditional view,
it is from Heaven, the will of Heaven.」

Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper sends letters
of congratulations each year over the past seven years.
He said in his letter this year: 「The celebration
of the 20th Anniversary of Falun Dafa is an outstanding achievement of the diversity of our community.
I would like to praise the Falun Dafa Association of Canada
who shares with us your practice and tradition.」