The Netherlands: March and Rally in Rotterdam Exposes the Ongoing Persecution of Falun Gong

(Minghui.org) Falun Gong practitioners held a march and rally in Europe’s largest port city – Rotterdam, on Saturday August 9, 2025 to expose the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) 26-year persecution and transnational repression. Letters of support were received from the International Amnesty Netherlands branch and Hans Noot, a Human Rights Without Frontiers director.

Practitioners marched in Rotterdam on August 9, 2025. The Tian Guo Marching Band made up of practitioners from European countries including Germany, Belgium, the UK, France and the Netherlands, performed in the march.

A rally and two marches were held that day. Starting from Schouwburgplein, a plaza in the heart of Rotterdam and led by the Tian Guo Marching Band, practitioners marched passed Chinatown, Van Oldenbarneveltplaats, and Binnenwegplein before returning to the starting point. The march caught the attention of many people.

Practitioners peacefully marched in Rotterdam on August 9 to inform the public about the CCP’s transnational repression.

Rally to Expose Human Rights Abuses

Ms. Ka Yan Wong, president of the Falun Dafa Association in The Netherlands spoke at the rally and said, “Falun Dafa was introduced to the public in China in 1992. The practice, based on the principles Truthfulness, Compassion, Forbearance, improved people’s health and guided them to be kind. Within a few years, millions of people took up the practice and this made the CCP wary. Since 1999, countless innocent practitioners are wantonly detained and made to go through torture and other mistreatment to make them give up their faith. Their organs are removed without consent and sold for huge profits. Everything is recorded. The CCP’s persecution has extended overseas. The CCP does all kinds of evil deeds including threats and coercion. For many years, members of government in various countries have spoken out against the CCP’s persecution of Falun Gong. On this occasion, the International Amnesty calls for the brutal persecution of Falun Gong practitioners to end. The Chinese authorities must stop this persecution at once and release all detained practitioners.”

Ms. Ka Yan Wong, president of the Falun Dafa Association in The Netherlands addressed the rally at Schouwburgplein.

Many people learned of the persecution and transnational repression.

Hans Noot is a director of the Human Rights Without Borders Netherlands branch. In his letter to express his support for Falun Gong practitioners he wrote: “Falun Gong is a peaceful practice based on the principles of Truthfulness, Compassion, Forbearance. The suppression launched by the CCP has gone on for 26 years and extended overseas. Our government and the international society should be on the alert and make a determined response. No one should be silenced by transnational repression – whether it is in the Netherlands or any place. Today, we gather at Rotterdam in support of Falun Gong practitioners’ protest against the persecution for 26 years. We stand here, not just to mourn the countless lives that died or were destroyed by the persecution, but also to express support for Falun Gong practitioners’ unwavering spirit.”

A letter was also sent by Amnesty International Netherlands: “Today, we come together to help those Falun Gong practitioners who cannot speak out in China. They are being arrested, tortured, and even murdered because of their belief in Truthfulness, Compassion, Forbearance. This persecution has become one of modern history’s largest, longest persecution. Furthermore, this persecution has extended overseas, the CCP uses transnational repression tactics targeting Falun Gong, its goal is to smear the reputation of Falun Gong in Western society, suppress the truth, manipulate public opinion and use democracy and freedom as a weapon for authoritarian rule. We strongly condemn such behavior. We urge the CCP: Stop persecuting Falun Gong, stop forced organ harvesting, stop transnational repression and propaganda, release all prisoners of conscience.”

Woman Praises Truthfulness, Compassion, Forbearance

Zelda approached practitioners for more information after reading the display boards. She then signed the petition to stop forced organ harvesting. She said she was not aware of the human rights abuses before. She was shocked and frightened after seeing photos of practitioners in China being tortured. She said, “I cannot imagine such a thing can truly happen. This is horrifying.” When practitioners told her Truthfulness, Compassion, Forbearance are the core principles of Falun Dafa, Zelda praised these principles and said, “Beautiful. It is best to reflect them through actions.”

She also learned that Falun Dafa not only has moral teachings, but there are exercises and a sitting meditation. The practice has a positive effect on people’s physical and mental health. When the practitioner told her she practiced Falun Dafa for many years, Zelda said that she appeared, “very relaxed.” She said she will go online to find out more information on the practice and hopes to try it if she has an opportunity in the future.

Zelda said, “The best way to reflect Truthfulness, Compassion, Forbearance is through actions.”

More People Should Know About the Persecution

Elmar Levy, a journalist with Open Rotterdam TV watched the event for a long time. He told practitioners around two years ago he began seeing Falun Dafa activities in the Netherlands, Rotterdam and other places on many occasions. He learned that Falun Dafa is based on the principles of Truthfulness, Compassion, Forbearance and has renewed people’s health and lives. He thought the CCP’s persecution is “extremely inhuman and heartbreaking.”

In his opinion, few people know of the persecution because of the mainstream media’s silence, “Such unjust phenomena must be exposed, politicians should publicly speak out and let more people know the truth.”

Elmar said that as a journalist, he will try his best to spread the truth to the public, call for an end to the persecution and let peace as well as respect become the norm in society.

Elmar Levy, a journalist who said he would help raise awareness about the persecution of Falun Gong

Hopes Practitioners Succeed

Noven from Morocco sat and listened when the Tian Guo Marching Band performed after the march. He said he followed them during the march that morning, and does not know why, but he felt great being with them. After a practitioner told him about the persecution in China, he said: “I was not aware of this. Everyone should have freedom, so I hope you can break away from the suppression. I feel comfortable listening to the music. I will continue to pay attention to Falun Gong, and I hope you succeed in stopping the persecution!”

Noven appreciated the Tian Guo Marching Band’s performance and hopes the efforts to end the persecution of Falun Gong will succeed.