(Minghui.org) Falun Gong practitioners from Melbourne Australia participated in the Chinese New Year celebration held by the local Vietnamese community on Sunday, January 24, 2016. The public warmly welcomed the exercise demonstrations presented by practitioners, along with traditional Chinese dance and waist drum performances.

In addition to the performances, practitioners exposed the ongoing brutal persecution of Falun Gong in China, and introduced the 16-year-long effort of peaceful resistance, which gained strong support at the event.

A few Chinese people were glad to have practitioners help them quit the Chinese Communist Party.

Practitioners demonstrate the Falun Gong exercises at the Chinese New Year celebration.

Local residents sign petition calling for an end to the persecution.

Tim McCormick heard about the persecution, and signed the petition to support Falun Gong.

Two sisters learn the Falun Gong exercises.

Alan Bishop, a government employee, knows very well about the situation in China. He strongly praised the peaceful resistance by practitioners, and their efforts to introduce Falun Gong to the community.

He signed the petition, and said that the government will not pay attention if only one person makes the voice, but must listen when one million people make their voices heard.

Alan said he believes that everyone should follow the principle of truthfulness-compassion-forbearance. “If everybody cherishes these principles, the society will have harmony,” he said.

Edward Volent had never heard about the persecution, and was shocked by the brutality exposed at the events. Edward himself is a fan of meditation, and said could not imagine that meditation in China would result in persecution.

“It is really shameful that people are put into jail only because they want to relax and follow the principles of truthfulness, compassion, and forbearance,” he said, “It must be stopped. I signed the petition also, because Falun Gong spreads wonderful values, and shares the benefits of meditation with others.”

Local high school students Sam Bonnici and Rishi Rajasekhar could not believe the genocide in China. They wanted to tell more people about it, and help to get more people to speak out against the persecution.

Mr. Wang, a Chinese worker, stopped by the practitioners' booth. He said that he knew about the persecution, and had doubts when seeing the government's propaganda against Falun Gong. He also likes reading books about cultivation, so he was happy to talk with practitioners at the event.

Mr. Wang happily quit the Chinese Communist Party with help from practitioners, and he took many materials to help further his understanding of Falun Gong.