(Minghui.org) Falun Gong practitioners held a rally outside the Chinese embassy in Stockholm, Sweden on April 20, 2024 to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the peaceful April 25 Appeal in Beijing.
The annual spring half marathon was held in Stockholm on the same day. Although it was cold and the winds were strong, the streets were crowded with people and cars. Practitioners demonstrated the exercises on the grassy area across from the Chinese embassy, and displayed eye catching banners with the words “Falun Dafa Is Great” and “Stop the Persecution of Falun Gong.” They also distributed information and talked to people about the persecution in China, now entering its 25th year.
People Express Admiration and Support
Ten thousand Falun Gong (also known as Falun Dafa) practitioners went to the State Appeals Office in Beijing on April 25, 1999 to call on the government to give practitioners a legal environment to freely practice Falun Gong. This set a precedent for large scale, peaceful appeals under Communist rule and astounded the whole world.
Twenty-five years have gone by, and every year, practitioners come to the Chinese embassy in Sweden to tell people about Falun Dafa by peacefully raising awareness about what is happening in China and to call for an end to the brutalities.
Soon after the activities began, embassy staff members broadcast music using loudspeakers in an attempt to disrupt practitioners’ peaceful protest. Undeterred, practitioners continued to sit quietly, meditating in the cold wind. A letter calling on embassy officials to stop following the regime in persecuting Falun Gong was read in Chinese and English via a speaker.
Local residents expressed admiration, and condemned the regime’s brutal acts when they learned of practitioners’ persistence and peaceful appeals for over two decades. Many people approached practitioners to find out more. Many cars slowed down to read the banners. Some drivers opened their windows to accept information, or honked their car horns to express support, and some took photos and video recordings.
Participants in the marathon passed by the rally and gave practitioners a thumbs up when they saw them doing the exercises.
Testimonial by Witness of April 25 Beijing Appeal
Li Zhihe who worked at the head office of the China Railroad Construction Company in Beijing 25 years ago said, “I once suffered from a severe lumbar tympanic membrane tear, and it created a great inconvenience in my life and work. I began to practice Falun Gong in October 1997 after a friend told me about it. In less than two weeks, the illness that plagued me for many years disappeared! This miraculous practice not only made me healthy, it also made my family more harmonious. I personally witnessed the many miracles that the people around me experienced after practicing Falun Gong and was truly convinced that it is a great cultivation way!”
Li continued, “On April 25, 1999, I arrived at the State Appeals Office before 6 a.m. I followed other practitioners, and was led by the police to a location. Although there were many people, everyone was orderly and we waited quietly for the results of the negotiation. I stood the entire day. People came in and out in an orderly manner. We did not have any political motives; we simply wanted to tell the government about the benefits of the practice.
“At night, we were told that our requests were accepted and everyone dispersed quietly. Before we left, practitioners picked up the rubbish on the ground, including cigarette butts discarded by the police. The ground was clean and spotless.”
Calling for an End to the Persecution
Li Zhihe did not think the CCP would launch a fanatical persecution of Falun Gong on July 20, 1999. He was arrested for going to Tiananmen Square to appeal for Falun Gong and became the target of surveillance.
He said the CCP created lies to incite public hatred against Falun Gong, poisoning the minds of people in China and the whole world. As someone who has benefited from the practice, he feels he has the responsibility to tell the truth and call on people to help stop the atrocities. “As long as the persecution continues, all Falun Gong practitioners and I will not stop calling for an end to the persecution using rational, peaceful means in upholding the spirit of the peaceful April 25 Beijing appeal.”
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