(Minghui.org) Falun Dafa practitioners and people from all walks of life held a rally at Martin Place in Sydney, on July 14, 2023. They protested the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) 24-year-long persecution. They called on kind people around the world to stand up, expose the CCP’s crimes, and work together to end the persecution of Falun Dafa.
After the rally with local political leaders, practitioners held a parade at noon, which was led by the Tian Guo Marching Band. There was a colorful flag team, waist drum team, and fairy lady team. Many people stopped to watch, took photos with their mobile phones, and praised Falun Dafa, giving the practitioners a thumbs up.
The parade started at Martin Place, passed through the main streets of central Sydney, and ended at Belmore Park.
It consisted of three themes:
Falun Dafa Is Good
Stop the Persecution of Falun Dafa
Support the 410 Million People Who Quit the CCP and its Affiliated Organisations.
Lawyer: “I Like the Falun Dafa March.”
Sydney lawyer Sam Savanna said, “The march I saw was beautiful, I liked it very much.”
Sam said that he particularly appreciated seeing Falun Dafa practitioners marching for justice. He said that he would tell his friends about it, and about Falun Dafa.
When Sam heard that Falun Dafa has been persecuted by the CCP in China for 24 years, he said, “I am sad to hear this, and I send them my best wishes!”
Local Residents Support Falun Dafa
Joshua Gindy heard the music coming from the march and quickly took out his mobile phone to record it. He said, “This music is so beautiful. I like it very much. It’s amazing.”
When he learned that the CCP is persecuting such a wonderful group of practitioners, he said, “It’s terrible, I mean people are only doing it for peace, for self-cultivation. They practice the principles of Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance, and because of this they are imprisoned. It’s ridiculous. I’m glad to see you stand up for this. It’s good, I fully support it. It’s amazing what you’ve done.”
When he learned that Falun Dafa practitioners follow the principle of Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance, he said, “I like it. Everyone should be like this. Everyone should treat others with Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance.”
He also said, “I stayed here to watch. I like it. I will definitely read this flier.”
He hopes to tell the public, especially Falun Dafa practitioners in China, “We definitely support Falun Dafa. It is a very good practice. I heard stories about your protests. The Chinese Communist Party harvests practitioners’ organs, which sounds heartbreaking, and is really sad. I hope everyone will support these people who oppose the persecution. Support the Chinese people and Falun Dafa.”
“What We can do is to Have More People Know About the Persecution”
Lea works for a religious organisation called Sisters of Mercy in North Sydney. She said, “I hadn’t heard of Falun Dafa before. Today, when I came to Martin Place, I was amazed by the peaceful feeling (shown by practitioners). I stopped to find out what the event was about.”
Lea said that the principles of Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance are needed by everyone, and explained, “Truthfulness: I think it is very necessary. If everyone tells the truth, there would be no war for mankind.
“Compassion: I practice kindness (in my life). Because you want to be a good person and to be happy, you have to be kind. If you are not kind to others, you will not be happy. If everything is centered on yourself, you will not be happy.
“Forbearance: I think we all need to be tolerant of other people’s differences. Everyone will be happy, if we can tolerate other people’s different opinions.”
When talking about the CCP’s persecution of Falun Dafa, Lea said, “I grew up in Australia, so this is unbelievable to me. The persecution is disgusting. The CCP is a dictatorship, and they are committing crimes. This is not just communism. It’s now 2023, why is this still happening? It’s because of money, greed, and wanting to be above others.”
She said, “I have taken photos of this event and I will put them on my social media page. The only thing we can do is to let more people know about this persecution”
“Please Stay Strong, Have Faith, and Persevere”
When Hala Fakhry heard the Tian Guo Marching Band play, she and her sons stopped to listen. “Their music is great and I like to encourage my kids to learn about the culture and what other people have gone through. I like to keep their minds open,” she said.
“(The band’s performance) is peaceful, joyful, and calming, and my children also became peaceful.”
When she heard how Falun Dafa is persecuted by the CCP, Hala said, “I am surprised to hear this. I hope it will appear in the media more and in front of the public more. If we know we can make the right choice. It’s good to know this information.”
Hala wanted to tell practitioners in China: “The truth is powerful. Please stay strong, have faith, and persevere.”
Chinese version available
(Clearwisdom)
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