(Newspaper report from Aberdeen, Scotland)

The Orient came to Aberdeen this week when shoppers were given a demonstration of an outlawed Chinese spiritual exercise.

A small group of practitioners carried out Falun Gong exercises outside the Town House on Monday to raise awareness of the exercise.

Similar to Tai Chi, Falun Gong involves slow movements, [...] and meditation, which exponents say soothes mind and body.

The practice dates back thousands of years in Asia but was outlawed in China in 1999.

Zhengfang Mo, 30, who demonstrated the practice to Aberdonians with her 20-month-old baby and friend Eva Chi, said: "Although there is no organization, no worship and no religion in Falun Gong, the Chinese Government was very frightened of the big numbers who practice it.

"They found it difficult to control and so they began to persecute people who [practise] Falun Gong."

She left China for the UK in March, 1999 -- four months before the practice was banned -- and now lives in Dundee.

She has said she feared being tortured, imprisoned or even executed if she returned to her home country.

They met with Lord Provost Margaret Smith and handed her a petition protesting against the Chinese Government's stance.

Yesterday they traveled to Inverness and were due to meet with the council to highlight the issue.

Reprinted from Clear Harmony Net
Source: http://www.clearharmony.net/articles/1421.html