Thursday, April 26, 2001

Followers of the Falun Gong spiritual movement on Wednesday meditated and exercised outside China's consulate in New York in a vigil to mark the second anniversary of mass protests by the group in Beijing. More than 100 followers gathered at the consulate in midtown Manhattan, wearing bright yellow pullovers emblazoned with their Web site address and drawing curious onlookers.

''We are here to raise awareness for our group and we also hope that the staff of the Chinese consulate can see us,'' said member Kaishin Yen Montanaro.

The demonstration in New York was part of global actions to mark the second anniversary of a mass Falun Gong protest in Beijing, which led to it being banned in July that year.

The consulate was not immediately available for comment but did release statements in English and Chinese on its Web site in which it described ''[Chinese government's slanderous terms omitted] ''.

The group members held banners that read ''China end injustice'' and ''Stop unreasonable persecution,'' and also held an overnight candle light vigil starting on Tuesday.

Falun Gong alarmed China's [party's name omitted] two years ago when about 10,000 followers surrounded the Zhongnanhai leadership compound in Beijing to protest against attacks by some Chinese state-controlled newspapers.

Also known as Falun Dafa, the movement combines meditation and exercise []. It was banned in China in July 1999, although it remains legal in Hong Kong.

Beijing has accused Falun Gong of trying to overthrow the government. Since the crackdown, human rights groups believe about 190 practitioners have been tortured to death in China, hundreds given lengthy prison terms and 50,000 detained in jails, labour camps and mental hospitals.