Maintaining the Olympic Spirit, Falun Gong Practitioners Hold Parade and Press Conference in Salt Lake City, Utah

On February 7, 2002, Salt Lake City, Utah, the host city for the 2002 Winter Olympics was in anticipation of the opening ceremony. Over 500 Falun Gong practitioners from Germany, Australia, Taiwan, Canada, and many states across the U.S. held a large parade with the theme "Maintaining the Olympic Spirit" and a press conference calling for an end to the persecution in China.

AFP: Chinese spiritual group Falun Gong to [demonstrate] outside opening ceremony

Agence France-Presse

Friday, Feb. 8, 2002

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah (AFP) - Some 600 Falun Gong members will hold a 12-hour demonstration around Friday's opening ceremony of the Winter Olympics to draw attention to the plight of the spiritual group in China.

Reuters Photo: Chinese Falun Gong practitioners meditate in Salt Lake City February 7, 2002

February 7, 2002

REUTERS: Chinese Falun Gong practitioners meditate in Salt Lake City February 7, 2002 during a rally in conjunction with the Salt Lake 2002 Olympic Winter Games. The members said on Thursday the rally was to tell the world that Falun Gong is good and to highlight the alleged ruthless persecution of its members in China. REUTERS/David Loh

AsianWeek: Falun Gong Mobilizes to Tell Its Story at Winter Olympics

[Excerpt]Sat, 9 Feb 2002

Special to AsianWeek

Police officers on horseback patrolled the front of the newly erected Olympic Medals Arena as music blared from a surround-sound system. The high security and soaring music were part of the dress rehearsal as the Winter Olympics get underway in Salt Lake City.

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