(Clearwisdom.net) Practitioners in Chicago held a candlelight vigil in front of the Chinese Consulate at 8:00 p.m. on July 20, 2011, to protest the 12-year brutal persecution by the Chinese Communist regime and to mourn more than 3000 practitioners who have died as a result of the persecution. Passersby supported the practitioners' efforts to end the persecution after having learned about the true situation.

Practitioners in Chicago hold a candlelight vigil in front of the Chinese Consulate to protest the CCP's persecution

On July 20, Chicago experienced the hottest day this year with the temperature reaching almost 100 degrees Fahrenheit. It was still hot in the evening. Practitioners gathered opposite the Chinese Consulate at 8:00 p.m., unfolding banners in Chinese and English bearing messages such as, “Stop persecuting Falun Gong,” “Falun Dafa is great” and “The world needs Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance.” Accompanied by gentle music, practitioners lit candles in memory of fellow practitioners in China who lost their lives for remaining steadfast in their beliefs.

Many passersby took flyers and supported the efforts to oppose the persecution after they learned what the true picture is. One even cried after hearing about how practitioners are physically abused and tortured in China, and couldn't believe why the CCP treated good people like this. A man from Iran expressed his hope that the persecution ends immediately.

Falun Gong, also known as Falun Dafa, is a traditional Chinese spiritual discipline for mind and body. The practice involves slow, gentle movements and meditation. Its principles are based on Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance. The practice was first introduced by Master Li Hongzhi in China in 1992 and quickly spread by word of mouth throughout China and then beyond. Its beneficial effects in uplifting an individual's physical health, spiritual well-being, and moral character, not to mention its positive influence in the community and society as a whole, have been undeniable.

On July 20, 1999, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) launched a brutal persecution of Falun Gong. Since the start of the persecution, twelve years have passed, practitioners throughout the world have been speaking out about the truth of Falun Gong and exposing the CCP's crimes in a tireless effort to end the persecution. Practitioners in Chicago protest the persecution in front of the Chinese Consulate every year.