(Minghui.org) Residents in Toronto joined Falun Gong practitioners to celebrate 200 million Chinese gaining freedom by renouncing their memberships in communist organizations. Sixty-one Chinese joined the 200 million during the two-hour event in Toronto's Chinatown on April 11.

Over 100 Falun Gong practitioners and local residents wrapped major Chinatown intersections with banners such as “Support the 200 Million Chinese Who Quit the CCP” and “The Chinese Communist Party Is Disintegrating.”

Toronto practitioners and local residents celebrating 200 million Chinese quitting communist organizations

The Epoch Times published the Nine Commentaries on the Communist Party in 2004, which systematically analyzed how the Party had been mistreating people with violence and deceiving propaganda. This launched a widespread grassroots movement among Chinese people to sever their ties to the Party.

“More than 199 million Chinese people have quit the CCP organizations, at a pace of over 100,000 every day,” said volunteer Ms. Dong, a Falun Gong practitioner. She explained that these numbers referred to those who quit the CCP or its affiliated organizations, including the Youth League and Young Pioneers.

As of April 16, the total number has exceeded 200 million.

Banners at the event

Banner reads in Chinese:“Stop the Persecution of Falun Gong”

“I Know This Is Difficult, But Please Keep It up”

This event drew a great deal of attention from passersby. Generiere Smith, a student from the University of Toronto, stopped to learn more after seeing the banners.

Ms. Smith signed a petition calling to end the live organ harvesting atrocities in China. With tears in her eyes, she told the Minghui correspondent that she knew practitioners have been working hard on this, because she often saw them raising awareness in the area.

Practitioners collecting signatures calling to end the persecution and live organ harvesting in China

“I know this is difficult, but please keep it up,” Ms. Smith continued. “If everyone signs a petition to support, we would be able to stop live organ harvesting—it should not have happened in the first place.”

Generiere Smith, a student from the University of Toronto

Vlad, a Canadian, and his Korean friend both speak Chinese, and they talked with a practitioner for a long time and signed a petition.

Curious about the exercises, Vlad asked many questions. He resonated with principles of Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance and ask for more information to help him begin learning the practice.

Vlad (left) was interested in learning Falun Gong

A group of five college students from US stopped to sign the petition. “You are doing the right thing and we all support you,” said one of the students, Rana Rhalil.

Three Tibetans stopped at the event and decided to quit the CCP organizations. They thanked the volunteers that helped them declare their withdrawals and said they hoped the Party would collapse soon.

A driver stopped to sign a petition

Former Senator: “People Need to Be Free”

The momentum of quitting the CCP was not accidental, explained Consiglio Di Nino, former Canadian senator (1990 to 2012) during a recent phone interview, “It has been proven that every time when communism was introduced as a political party, it has failed.”

“200 million is an impressive number,” stated Di Nino. “We may need a higher number for China to undergo a real change, but so far this number is increasing at a rapid pace. Plus, some top leaders who understand the situation may start to act from inside.”

Di Nino said that more and more people are beginning to stand up to the Chinese Communist Party and he was inspired by their courage. “People need to be free,” he said.

Consiglio Di Nino, former Canadian senator (1990 to 2012)

The root of this situation, according to Mr. Di Nino, is that Communism restricts freedom. “It doesn't allow freedom of speech or freedom of press, although these are fundamental principles of the human nature.” He commended the Chinese people, who are known to be hardworking, good citizens, with great family values and great social values. “But Communism does not promote that.”

Banners at Pacific Mall in north Toronto

Quit-the-CCP Movement Gains Momentum

Noting the positive changes as well, Ms. Dong, a volunteer for the Service Center for Quitting the CCP, said she was glad to see more Chinese now quitting the Party in groups.

“Many of our volunteers are making phone calls to China, telling the aboutthe Nine Commentaries and the things CCP had done to harm people. Sometimes we spoke with one person over the phone, who then shared the phone conversations with their family, or with their work colleagues, and large number of people decided to quit the CCP at once.”

Ms. Dong said she was in particular touched by a company president. After speaking with an overseas volunteer and agreeing to renounce his Party membership, this person said he had a request: “My company has over 1000 employees. Is there a way that you could help all of them quit the Party?”