1. "Xinhua News Agency Reporters," Who Were Afraid of the Police, Came to the News Conference
On the morning of March 19th, Falun Gong practitioners held a press conference at a hotel near the United Nations. A few minutes before the conference, a few young people calling themselves reporters from the Xinhua News Agency walked up to the conference room carrying cameras and video recorders. Last year's news conference was disturbed by these same people, and they wanted to do it again. Because they had not been invited, they were politely "invited out," right after they entered the conference room. Unable to carry out their conspiracy, they rudely screamed and made noises outside. Falun Dafa practitioners calmly warned them that if they continued to cause trouble, the police would be called! They immediately said that they would be just outside, drinking tea. Even though they talked tough, they went away after a while, and the press conference was very successful.
2. Police Car Chased After "Xinhua News Agency Reporter" with Siren
On the afternoon of March 20th, Falun Dafa practitioners from different countries were practicing exercises in the rain by the Place des Nations Park in front of the United Nations. One young man, who called himself a Xinhua News Agency reporter, was holding a small camera and suspiciously wandering around the area, trying to take pictures of the practitioners. One Western practitioner, who acted as a guard, discovered him and questioned him. This person did not have a reporter's permit and he talked nonsense. The practitioner formally told him that even if he was a reporter, it was against the law to take pictures of others without permission. This person thought the practitioner would be easy to take advantage of, so he refused to leave. The practitioner then called the police. Soon four police cars rushed over with sirens blaring. Seeing the situation was not in his favor, this " Xinhua News Agency reporter" put away his camera and ran into the United Nations building, with the policemen chasing after him.
3. A "Xinhua News Agency Reporter" Took Pictures of Falun Dafa Practitioners without Permission at the University of Geneva
On March 21 at 7:00pm, the Geneva Branch of International Amnesty and the Switzerland Falun Gong Association jointly held a discussion forum at the University of Geneva. Before the start of the forum, two young Chinese men holding small cameras wandered around the meeting room. They also took pictures of practitioners. When a practitioner went to question them, they said they were reporters from the "Xinhua News Agency." The practitioner held onto their cameras and said seriously, "You have violated the local law by taking pictures in other people's place without permission. We can sue you!" The two young people were scared. They took their cameras back and ran away.
4. Chinese Representatives Ruined the Image of Chinese Culture by Using Malicious Language to Others
During the United Nations Conference, the president of the United Citizens Organization met a man and a woman from the Chinese Representatives Team. With basic courtesy, the president went over to them and said hello. Unexpectedly they viciously said to him, "Talking to you is like talking to a dog!" The president was shocked and angry. He immediately looked at the man's nametag and wrote down his name. His said he would go see the Chinese diplomat. By the time the president met the diplomat, those two people had already notified him. The diplomat told the president that those two people already had said what he wanted to say, implying that he agreed with what those two people had said. When local Falun Dafa practitioners found out about this incident, they were very hurt and sorry. One of them immediately called the president and apologized on behalf of the Chinese people. She also told him that Chinese culture is not like that. The president told her not to apologize for those people because they were not real Chinese. In his mind, she (the practitioner) was real Chinese.
5. Geneva Pro-China Group Was Criticized for Sacrificing Justice for Profit
On the morning of March 19, Falun Dafa practitioners were about to practice at Place Des Nations Park in front of the United Nations with permission of the Geneva municipal government when they were suddenly notified that they were not allowed to practice there. After overcoming a few obstacles, practitioners were granted permission again. After the incident, they found out that there are 5 members on the administration committee in the municipal government. On that day, the Mayor and another two members were not there. The remaining two were responsible for China-Geneva commerce relations. Due to pressure from the Chinese government, these two people decided on their own to cancel the permit that had already been issued. After correcting the situation, the Mayor said, "This is the most shameful incident during my term." He also told the two members, "Since you decided this on your own, you have to explain to the people in our city yourselves!"
March 26, 2001
