Protest Calls for Protection of Free Speech

About 60 Falun Gong practitioners showed up outside the Chinese Embassy in Wellington last Saturday in protest to a recent call from the Wellington City Council (WCC) for Falun Gong practitioners to stop protesting there each day.

While protesting against the continued persecution of Falun Gong in China by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), three practitioners were asked to leave the area by police early in November following complaints from the Chinese Embassy.

Practitioners were then asked to a meeting with Helen Ray of the WCC and a police officer from the Diplomatic Protection Agency (DPA), where they were told they would not be allowed to protest in front of the Chinese Embassy every day as they interfered with the embassy's operations and blocked pedestrians and traffic.

However, Falun Gong practitioners disagree, saying they in no way block traffic or pedestrians and believe the actions of the WCC and DPA are a direct result of pressure from the new Chinese Ambassador.

"There's a full two metres of footpath in front of where we protest," said Falun Gong practitioner Chris Thomas. "It's enough for two people to walk side by side comfortably."

"Police were called to the site many times by the Chinese Embassy, and every time they couldn't find anything wrong with what we were doing," said Thomas.

"I think the police and council just got sick of the Chinese Embassy constantly calling them, and gave in, instead of informing the Embassy that New Zealand is a free country."

Mr Thomas said he had requested a signed letter from Ms Ray outlining why they weren't allowed to continue their daily protests, but she declined, and said that if they continued their daily protests they would be arrested by police.

"Our friends and family members are being imprisoned, tortured and killed by the Chinese Communist Party for what they believe in," said Thomas. "If our voices are silenced in supposedly free countries like New Zealand, the actions of this brutal regime (the CCP) will be even more rampant. I truly hope we don't lose this freedom we have in New Zealand to speak out against such atrocities at will."

Ms Joan Zhang, another of the Falun Gong practitioners who were asked to leave, said there had been progress made with some council members, as she received a letter from a councilor stating that he believed they will be able to continue with their activities as they had in the past, and that a letter would soon be sent to her explaining council views in more detail.

Ms Helen Ray declined comment.