Thousands of Falun Gong practitioners and supporters from the Greater New York area gathered in Manhattan’s Chinatown on July 19 for the organization’s annual parade commemorating the anniversary of the Chinese government’s 1999 crackdown on the spiritual practice.
The march marked 27 years since the persecution began on July 20, 1999, and called for an end to what participants described as the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) ongoing persecution of Falun Gong practitioners, including alleged forced organ harvesting and what organizers called “transnational repression” targeting practitioners living overseas.
Parade draws crowds in Chinatown
Beginning at 1 p.m., the parade started on Mott Street and traveled through several streets in Manhattan’s Chinatown, including East Broadway and Eldridge Street, before concluding on Hester Street.
Led by the Tian Guo Marching Band, the procession featured colorful banners, traditional performances, exercise demonstrations, and large display floats. The event attracted many residents, visitors, and tourists, with numerous spectators stopping to watch and photograph the procession.
The parade was organized around three themes. The first section introduced Falun Dafa, also known as Falun Gong, a spiritual practice first introduced in China in 1992 by Li Hongzhi. The practice combines meditation exercises with teachings centered on the principles of Truthfulness, Compassion, and Forbearance.
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The second section focused on the persecution of Falun Gong in China. Participants carried banners calling for an end to the persecution and urging the international community to investigate allegations of forced organ harvesting and other human rights abuses. Organizers also highlighted concerns about what they described as increasing efforts by Chinese authorities to pressure and intimidate Falun Gong practitioners and organizations outside China.
The third section expressed support for the movement encouraging Chinese citizens to withdraw from organizations affiliated with the Chinese Communist Party. Organizers said more than 460 million people have symbolically withdrawn from the CCP and its affiliated organizations through the movement, while also promoting the international “End CCP” campaign.
Concerns over transnational repression
Speakers at the event said the campaign against Falun Gong has increasingly expanded beyond China’s borders. Organizers alleged that Chinese authorities have attempted to interfere with Falun Gong activities overseas, including performances by Shen Yun Performing Arts and other community events.
Participants called on democratic governments to take stronger action against what they described as transnational repression and to safeguard freedom of religion and freedom of expression.
US legislative response
Organizers also pointed to recent developments in Washington that they view as encouraging.
They noted that the U.S. House of Representatives recently passed the Falun Gong Protection Act, legislation intended to impose sanctions on individuals involved in alleged forced organ harvesting targeting Falun Gong practitioners. The bill must still complete the remaining steps of the legislative process before becoming law.
Participants also referenced House Resolution 444, which addresses concerns about transnational repression and the Chinese Communist Party’s influence abroad.
As the parade concluded, practitioners said they would continue raising awareness through peaceful public events while urging greater international attention to religious freedom and human rights issues in China.
