(Clearwisdom.net) Chinese Communist Party's (CCP) vice chairman Xi Jinping arrived in Ireland for a state visit on February 19, 2012. Falun Gong practitioners gathered outside Dublin Castle to protest the CCP's persecution of Falun Gong.

According to The Irish Times on February 20, about 50 Falun Gong practitioners on February 19 called for an end to the persecution of Falun Gong, saying that “practitioners have been tortured, been imprisoned, and had their organs harvested since 1999.”

Dr. Declan Lyons, consultant psychiatrist at St. Patrick’s University Hospital, said that Xi had a unique opportunity to end the hatred of Falun Gong.

The report said, “Ming Zhao, a graduate of Trinity College, spoke of returning to China as a student in 1999 and having his passport confiscated. He then spent almost two years in prison, where he said he was tortured routinely. After extensive pressure from the international community, he was released.”

Ming Zhao said, “Words are very powerful, and my release was proof that a small country like Ireland can made a difference. Ireland can ask Xi Jinping to stop the persecution.”

The Irish Independent also reported on Falun Gong practitioners' activities to protest Xi Jinping's visit. Falun Gong has been persecuted by the CCP for the last 12 years.

The report said that the Irish Falun Dafa Association held a protest on February 19, calling on people to show concern over the persecution that tens of thousands of Falun Gong practitioners have been subjected to in China. The persecution of Falun Gong is most severe. According to practitioners outside of China, thousands of Falun Gong practitioners have died in custody since the CCP started the persecution.