A series of ongoing mob attacks on the streets of New York have prompted concern and protest from those who practice Falun Gong in the UK.
Carrying out a protest march on Saturday 21st June, local adherents of the spiritual discipline said recent attacks in New York were globally significant, and were being used as a test case for new tactics of persecution by the Chinese communist regime.
Helen Lee, one of the event's organisers said: "You might wonder what these incidents have to do with the people of London and Britain. But if the Communist regime don't hear a resounding voice of condemnation from around the world, this might start to happen in places like China town here in London."
For the last month, gangs of up to several hundred people have been targeting Falun Gong practitioners and people manning a Quit CCP (Chinese Communist Party) centre in the Chinese quarter of Flushing, New York. The Epoch Times has obtained evidence of the Chinese consul in New York admitting to being behind the incidents.
Several dozen people took part in the 2 hour march through the streets of London – which were packed with weekend shoppers – carrying banners, and handing out leaflets.
Falun Gong is a spiritual meditation discipline which has been subject to extreme persecution in China since 1999. Before 1999, the Chinese government itself estimated that 100 million people were practising Falun Gong.
Falun Gong practitioners identify the recent events in Flushing as being part of a broader pattern of overseas persecution masterminded by Zhou Yongkang, secretary of the Central Political and Legislative Committee of the Chinese Communist Party.
"The stirring up of the mob is reminiscent of China's dark political campaigns of the past," says Helen. "It seems inconceivable that the Chinese regime should instigate such an incident.
"But the influence of the communist party on overseas media and communities is bigger than you may think. The international community needs to nip this in the bud, before it spreads even further."
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