(Clearwisdom.net) Although the spiritual practice of Falun Gong has been banned in communist China, it is legal in the special administrative region of Hong Kong. Falun Gong practitioners make use of the freedoms they hold in Hong Kong to tell others about their practice and to expose the persecution it suffers just across the border.
At heavily trafficked sites throughout Hong Kong, Falun Gong practitioners have for eleven years set up booths where they distribute literature and display pictures, posters, and banners. They also staff tables at which they urge Chinese tourists who stop by to quit the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). These Falun Gong venues often draw great interest from Chinese tour groups from the mainland. They have been known to anger CCP officials.
On Wednesday, members of a Chinese communist youth group from the mainland vandalized banners and poster boards at four Falun Gong sites in Hong Kong. Police arrested two adult leaders of the group.
Police arrest an adult leader of the group of vandals at the Hung Hom subway station
The youths, said to number more than 30, wore the distinctive red scarves of the Young Pioneers, a communist organization for young people ages 6-14. Witnesses guessed the ages of this group to be from 7 to 12. The group traveled on a tour bus that took them around to four sites where Falun Gong practitioners have their booths and tables.
According to Falun Gong practitioners at the Hung Hom subway station, the vandalism was clearly planned in advance. The students were well supplied with colored markers, adhesive labels, and stickers that they used to deface the practitioners’ banners and displays.
The Falun Gong practitioners say the students also acted in concert during the incident, showing that they had been previously instructed in what to do.
At the Lok Ma Chau Station, the group arrived at round 10 a.m. and witnesses say that 4 or 5 adults accompanied the students. As the youths defaced the Falun Gong materials, one student was heard to say that this is what their leader wanted done. An eyewitness also saw a man and a woman taking pictures of the incident from a short distance away.
Vandalized display boards at the Hung Hom subway station
Ms. Zeng, a Falun Gong practitioner who was present during the vandalism, said, “This happened for no reason at all and must have been planned. Seeing what they were doing, I ran up and warned them to stop. This scared them a bit and they did stop. I questioned them as to whether the CCP was responsible. But a male teacher, speaking Mandarin Chinese [Cantonese Chinese is the dialect most widely used in Hong Kong], ran up and told them not to speak to Falun Gong people.”
Falun Gong practitioners reported the incident to police on patrol.
At the Western Harbor Crossing, an eyewitness said that the bus arrived just before 11 a.m. and the youngsters were directed to deface the placards and banners by several adults. A Falun Gong practitioner was able to summon a policeman, who took one of the adults into the station’s police sub-bureau. Meanwhile, the other adult leaders hastily gathered the students onto the bus and it drove away.
Later in the afternoon, around 4 p.m., a Falun Gong practitioner went to the police station to give an account of the incident. Two teachers were seen under arrest and a policeman commented that the whole affair must have been organized.
Vandalized display boards at the Western Harbor Crossing
Nelson Wong Sing-chi, a Democratic Party Member of the Legislative Council of Hong Kong, condemned the vandalism. He called upon Chinese tourists to obey the laws of Hong Kong. He expressed that the identity of the adults behind this incident needs to be published. “I hope we have freedom of speech and assembly in Hong Kong. Those principles are precious to us, and should not be ruined by some people for any political purpose,” he said.
Mr. Wong condemned the CCP's brainwashing of children. He said: “We should teach children how to respect others. Brainwashing them, and asking them to vandalize other people's stuff for any purpose should not be allowed. This can only happen under a dictatorship.”
Leung Yiu Chung, a Member of the Legislative Council of Hong Kong, expressed that this incident hurts the children too. “This is a crime, and the kids are victims too. It will impact their development,” he said. Mr. Leung urged the government to handle it well, and bring the criminals behind it to justice. “It is hard for children to tell good from bad, so there must be adults behind it,” he said.
Leung Kwok-hung, a Member of the Legislative Council of Hong Kong, pointed out that this incident reflects how severe the brainwashing in China is. “The Chinese media have been inciting hatred towards Falun Gong, so some people think it is OK to attack Falun Gong. They ordered these kids to do such a thing. It shows how bad the brainwashing in China is. It is shameless to use little kids.”
Ronny Tong Ka-wah, a Legislative member, said, “I am really disappointed that some adults teach incorrect and unhealthy thoughts to kids. As a teacher, one has the responsibility to teach students correct thoughts.” Mr. Tong urged the police to handle this based on the laws of Hong Kong.
Ms. Chang, a Falun Gong practitioner in charge of the booth at Hung Hom subway station, strongly condemned this behavior. She called upon the police to bring the perpetrators to justice. She said, “I feel sorry for those students. They didn't know the truth about Falun Gong. They were asked to do it. I hope the adults behind it will be punished.”
She continued, “Although the attack was towards Falun Gong this time, if the Hong Kong government ignores it, it will happen to other groups in the future. We have laws in Hong Kong. People cannot do whatever they want or attack whoever they don't like. So, I hope the Hong Kong government will handle this correctly, and protect citizens from being harassed.”
