(Minghui.org) Hundreds of people formed a human wall for almost 2 hours in an attempt to prevent police from taking away their hero, Mr. Li Zhen. People denounced the officers, saying, “You take taxpayers' money and then hurt good people. Animals behave better than you.” They signed and put their fingerprints on an appeal for Mr. Li at the scene. The following is what happened recently in the Wenxingjiayuan Community in the Kaping District of Tangshan City, Hebei Province.

The Police Arrest Innocent People

Early in the morning on June 9, 2012, the 610 Office in Tangshan, along with the Politics and Legal Committee, had officers arrest more than 20 Falun Gong practitioners and ransack their homes.

Officers from Kaiping Police Department entered the Wenxingjiayuan Community after 6:00 a.m. Mr. Li's wife, Ms. Wang Xiulan, heard someone knocking at their door and saying, “Auntie, open the door. Auntie, open the door.” She opened the door slightly and saw a woman. When she was about to ask her what was up, over 10 officers came out of hiding, grabbed her arms, and forced their way into her home. She shouted, “Li Zheng, bandits are coming.”

The officers went straight to arrest Mr. Li, who was resting inside, then began ransacking his home. They claimed that they had a search warrant, but they never showed it. They dragged Mr. Li, who was wearing only shorts, downstairs.

Ms. Wang opened a window and called for their neighbors, “Come quickly, come see! Bandits are at the second gate, room 202. Please come save us.” Residents heard her cry and came. When they saw Mr. Li being taken away, they objected and condemned the officers. They formed a human wall to prevent them from taking Mr. Li away.

Mr. Li, 58, has lived in the Zhongquzhuang area for decades. He is well respected in the neighborhood. His wife, Ms. Wang, also has a good reputation for taking good care of her paralyzed father-in-law for years. During the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) persecution of Falun Gong practitioners, Mr. Li has been repeatedly arrested and has been tortured in labor camps.

The residents told the officers that someone fell into the Qianquzhuang River in the summer of 2010. There were many bystanders, but none offered to help. Mr. Li happened to be passing by. He immediately jumped into the deep water without even taking off his clothes. He pulled the victim to the bank and left quietly without leaving his name.

The residents challenged the police, “How many of you officers would have done what he did?” “Mr. Li is a good person with a good reputation. Why are you arresting him?” They said angrily, “If everyone was as good as he, there would be no need for the police. But you are arresting him. You shouldn't do that.”

Many cried as they watched the officers handcuff and pushed the barefoot, shirtless Mr. Li into a police car. An old lady held an officer in front of the car and said in tears, “Such a good person. Are you really going to take him away?”

The officers were silent. They pinched Mr. Li's neck and forced him into the car. People were irritated by their violence. Some punched the officers.

Mr. Li's son lived nearby. He rushed to the scene after hearing the news. The officers even tried to arrest him. One resident could not take it anymore. He was about to run up to the police with a shovel, but others stopped him.

The officers stayed at Mr. Li's home and wanted to take Ms. Wang away as well. She said to them, “I used to suffer from many illnesses. I regained my health because of practicing Falun Dafa. Isn't that wrong? If you want to arrest me, leave your names. Who is in charge?” None of the officers dared to say their names, nor did any admit to being in charge. No one mentioned again that they would take her away.

Another police car came after 8:00 a.m. A police supervisor wearing a vest in checked pattern came out of the car and scolded the other police officers in a low voice, “You good-for-nothings. I told you to come earlier and do it quietly. Why make it such a big deal? You've given us a bad image.”

The standoff between the residents and the police lasted nearly two hours. In the end, the police took Mr. Li away. Indignant, the residents watched them leave. They hung around and expressed their disappointment. Someone suggested, “Does any one have a pen and a piece of paper? We will write a joint appeal for Mr. Li.” The crowd immediately approved the suggestion. Someone brought a piece of paper, a pen, and an ink pad. More than 70 people signed and pressed their fingerprints on the appeal.

A neighbor said, “Mr. Li is a really good person. He helps whenever and whoever needs help. He is in trouble. We shouldn't just think about ourselves. We think that he is a good person.” Another neighbor said, “I'd dare to say that to whoever interviewed me.”

当场要求释放李真的民众签名 
The signatures on the joint appeal for Mr. Li Zhen.

A Kind Couple Repeatedly Suffered Injustice

Mr. Li Zhen and his wife, Ms. Wang Xiulan, have been arrested and imprisoned many times for practicing Falun Dafa and telling others the facts about Falun Dafa.

In 2001, Mr. Li wrote two letters regarding the facts about Falun Dafa and handed them to Gao Shukui of the Kaiping Town Appeals Office. He was arrested several days later by officer Zhang Zhiqiang and others from Kaiping Criminal Division. They locked him in a metal cage in the Kaiping Police Station. He was then detained at the Tangshan No. 1 Detention Center for nine months. He was tortured by having 40 basins of cold water poured over him in the winter, getting slapped on the face on many occasions, being made to stand without sleeping, having to sit on a iron chair, being locked in a small confined cell, etc. After that, Mr. Li was taken to the Kaiping Brainwashing Center for another month and had 5,000 yuan extorted from him. Because of the long term persecution, Mr. Li was injured both mentally and physically. He was only in his 40s, but had lost lots of hair and most of his remaining hair has turned white.

酷刑演示:泼冷水
Torture Reenactment: Pouring cold water over the victim

In April 2002, Zhang Zhiqiang and four other officers and arrested Mr. Li and Ms. Wang. They took them to the basement of the Kaiping Police Department, slapped them their faces, beat them with brooms, and kicked them viciously. Ms. Wang lost consciousness for two days.

Around 10:00 p.m. on October 19, 2004, six officers from the Kaiping Police Station, including Liu Shuting, illegally searched Mr. Li's home, took his recorder and books, and arrested Mr. Li and two visitors in Mr. Li's home. Mr. Li was later taken the Hehuakeng Forced Labor Camp, where he suffered electrical shocks, slaps on the face, long-term standing, etc. He was transferred to the Handan Forced Labor Camp in November 2005. Guard Gao Fei and Shen (first name unknown) shocked him with four electric batons and beat him with rubber clubs for more than three hours.

酷刑演示:电棍电击
Torture Reenactment: Electric shocks

People involved in the persecution:

Liu Jianguo, secretary of Tangshan City Politics and Law Committee: +86-13831518989 (Cell)
Sun Shaodong, deputy director of Tangshan Police Department: +86-13832985959 (Cell), +86-13911295959 (Cell)
Liu Xiaozhong, deputy director of Tangshan Police Department: +86-13832980008 (Cell)
Liu Jincheng, director of Tangshan Detention Center: +86-13832981619 (Cell)
Zhao Chunsheng, director of the Domestic Security Division of Kaiping Police Department: +86-13832988290 (Cell)
Yang Jinshan, director of the Kaiping District 610 Office: +86-13513399099 (Cell)