NEW YORK, New York — On July 19, nearly 1,000 Falun Gong practitioners from the greater New York area and surrounding states gathered in Manhattan’s Chinatown to commemorate the 27th anniversary of the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) persecution of Falun Gong.
The march, held one day before the July 20 anniversary marking the start of the nationwide crackdown against the practice in 1999, called on the international community to help end the CCP’s campaign of transnational repression, stop forced organ harvesting, and support the estimated 460 million Chinese who have renounced membership in the CCP and its affiliated organizations through the global Tuidang (“Quit the CCP”) movement.
Falun Gong, also known as Falun Dafa, was introduced to the public in China by Mr. Li Hongzhi in 1992. Rooted in the principles of Truthfulness, Compassion, and Forbearance, the practice is known for its meditation exercises and moral teachings, and was widely embraced in China for its reported health benefits and emphasis on personal character.
Despite being peaceful in nature, the CCP launched a brutal campaign to eradicate the practice after seeing its rapid rise in popularity as a threat to its authoritarian regime. Since then, thousands of practitioners have perished at the hands of Chinese police, with many today still undergoing routine monitoring, arbitrary travel bans, and arrests.
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Parade draws large crowds
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Led by the Tian Guo Marching Band, the procession began on Mott Street before passing Lin Zexu Square in Chatham Square, East Broadway, the Manhattan Bridge, and Eldridge Street, concluding on Hester Street. The parade attracted large crowds of residents and tourists, many of whom stopped to watch or recorded the event on their phones.
The procession featured three themed sections: The first, titled “Falun Dafa Is Good,” included a large replica of “Zhuan Falun,” Falun Gong’s main text, along with a giant Falun emblem and live demonstrations of the meditation practice.
The second section, “Stop the Persecution of Falun Gong,” featured banners reading “Immediately Stop the Persecution of Falun Gong,” “Stop the CCP’s Forced Organ Harvesting,” and “End the CCP’s Transnational Repression.” Organizers said the display was intended to draw attention to the CCP’s 27-year campaign against Falun Gong and its increasingly aggressive efforts to intimidate practitioners and organizations overseas, including Shen Yun Performing Arts.
The final section expressed support for the Tuidang movement and the global “End CCP” campaign. Participants carried banners supporting the estimated 460 million people who have publicly withdrawn from the CCP, the Communist Youth League, and the Young Pioneers, while organizers said more than 5.3 million people worldwide have signed the “End CCP” petition. A large “End CCP” banner and a traditional waist drum performance concluded the parade.
Calling for greater accountability
Organizers said the march was intended not only to commemorate those persecuted in China but also to raise awareness of what they describe as Beijing’s expanding campaign of transnational repression.
They argued that the CCP has increasingly sought to intimidate Falun Gong practitioners and organizations outside China by exploiting the openness of democratic societies to suppress criticism, interfere with performances by Shen Yun Performing Arts, and silence dissidents abroad.
Participants also pointed to recent legislative developments in Washington as evidence of growing concern over Beijing’s human rights record and overseas influence operations. In June, the U.S. House of Representatives unanimously passed the Falun Gong Protection Act, which is aimed at imposing sanctions on individuals involved in forced organ harvesting and related human rights abuses in China.
The legislation follows years of allegations that prisoners of conscience in China, including large numbers of Falun Gong practitioners, have been targeted and killed for their organs. Independent investigations by former Canadian Secretary of State (Asia-Pacific) David Kilgour, international human rights lawyer David Matas, and later the independent China Tribunal concluded that forced organ harvesting has occurred in China on a significant scale, with Falun Gong practitioners among the main victims.
Organizers also highlighted the recent passage of House Resolution 444, claiming it reflects increasing congressional concern over the CCP’s transnational activities and foreign influence operations.
As participants marked the 27th anniversary of the persecution, organizers said they would continue advocating peacefully under the principles of Truthfulness, Compassion, and Forbearance, while urging governments and the international community to take stronger action against human rights abuses and transnational repression linked to the CCP.
