Falun Gong practitioners barred from performing in San Francisco Chinese New Years Parade

Posted on January 21, 2006 by Chris Nelson

Falun Gong, a group promoting wellfullness of the Mind, Body, and Spirit through a series of meditations and exercises based on Taichi and Quigong practices, has been barred from performing in San Francisco’s Chinese New Years festivities by the organization in charge of the event. Falun Gong members have performed, and won multiple awards, in the parades of years past, however this year the Chinese Communist Party has pressured the event coordinators, some of whom share strong ties to the CCP, not to let them participate.

It’s no secret the Chinese Communist Party has sought to squash groups promoting allegiances to entities other than the communist party, God or otherwise. In fact, just a few months back a woman was arrested and beaten to death in a Chinese prison for having passed out Christian Bibles. The Falun Gong organizatiation, whose core values of ZHEN (Truth, Truthfulness, Return to One’s True Self), SHAN (Kindness, Benevolence, Compassion), and REN (Endurance, Forebearance, Tolerance) emphasize the betterment of one’s self, mind and body, clearly falls under the CCP’s list of groups to fear. As such, Falun Gong practitioners have been enduring an inhumane persecution since July of 1999.

Some Facts about the persecution:

Since July of 1999, 200,000+ detained with out legal process ; 1,000+ forced into mental hospitals; over 2000 confirmed deaths from torture (the actual death toll well exceeds this); millions subjected to brainwashing sessions (renouncing Falun Gong beliefs)

Representatives of Falun Gong Northern California could be found protesting, carrying signs depicting human rights abuses suffered by Falun Gong practioners, during today’s festivities on Chinatown’s Grant Street. Though barred from this year they urged supporters to sign a petition against the CCP and its actions. You can find the web version of the petition here.

Sites of Interest:
64 Falun Gong Torture Deaths in China in 3 Months
Falun Gong Human Rights Working Grop
Falun Gong Northern California(Under Construction)

-Chris Nelson