(Clearwisdom.net) Falun Dafa practitioners' public appeals for justice for Falun Dafa on Tiananmen Square gained momentum after the National Day holiday (October 1) in 2001. Those appealing were beaten and arrested without abandon. Hearing this, I quickly set off on a long journey to Beijing.
On the morning of October 5, I saw many police cars on the streets of Qianmen. At the crossings and on the sidewalks, policemen patrolled the streets in groups of two, interrogating foreigners and people with bags. They asked people whether they practiced Falun Gong. If the answer was yes, or if the individual refused to answer and Falun Gong materials were found in their bags, they would be taken away by the police and the materials would be confiscated.
There were 50 large buses in front of the History Museum. On the east and west sides of the Square, there were two lines of policemen, with 50 policemen in each line. At the center of the Square, policemen marched in teams of two. There were a dozen teams in total, and they kept walking up to tourists. The very first question they asked them was, "Do you know about Falun Gong?" followed by "Do you practice Falun Gong?" The people who answered "yes" would be carried or dragged away against their will.
At 10 a.m., many people appeared at the corners of the Square. They either sat peacefully with their legs crossed, stood in the standing wheel stance, or held banners reading, "Falun Dafa is good". Tourists were drawn to them immediately, and some cried out, "Look, Falun Gong!" Policemen ran around wildly, pushing their way through the masses. They beat the practitioners. They punched and kicked them, pulled their hair and twisted their arms. They slapped them on the face for calling out words in favor of Falun Gong. The practitioners' faces were bloodied and bruised. The police grabbed the practitioners' children and shook them violently. Facing the violence, the practitioners did not fight back . They were forced into police cars and the loaded vehicles drove away. Empty police cars were brought in to replace them.
I saw a group of seven people, four young men and three young ladies, one of whom was holding the hand of a 12-year old girl wearing a red ski jumper. They walked to the southwest corner of the square and sat down in a cross-legged position. They looked peaceful and dignified, and people surrounded them. Some took out their cameras, ready to take photos, while some said in low voices, "Falun Gong is great." Policemen rushed in, punching and kicking. The practitioners were beaten to the ground and could not stand up. Policemen twisted their arms and pushed them into police cars. The little girl was grabbed by the policeman, violently shaken and pushed into the car. The police car then sped away. From the car, cries of "Falun Dafa is good" could be heard.
One afternoon, there were many tourists and dozens of police in front of the gates of Tiananmen Square. Suddenly the cry of "Falun Dafa is good" resounded like spring thunder. An old lady carrying a satchel over her left shoulder held up a banner reading "Falun Dafa is good." Wearing cloth shoes, she walked from Jinshuiqiao Bridge to the gates of Tiananmen Square, continuously shouting out, "Falun Dafa is good! Falun Dafa is the righteous Way!" It was not until several minutes had passed, that the police reacted. Several of them pounced on her, grabbing her hair and twisting her arms. They pushed her into the car, and the car sped away with her inside. However, the image of her courageous act was indelibly imprinted on the minds of those who witnessed the event.
These are scenes that I witnessed of Falun Dafa practitioners validating their belief amidst the harsh environment. They will never fade from my memory.
