Calgary Herald: Falun Gong backer returns bruised from Beijing

February 16, 2002

Dan Rintoul, touching down at the Calgary International Airport on Friday, said he expected trouble.

Calgarian Dan Rintoul is relieved to be home after being detained by Chinese police for his affiliation with Falun Gong.

"I was thinking, 'What is going to happen? What am I going to do? Will I be able to stay calm?' " he said Friday after arriving at Calgary International Airport.

Rintoul, 23, was one of about 40 western Falun Gong practitioners arrested in Beijing on Thursday. He had left Calgary earlier this week "for the purposes of clarifying the truth to the Chinese people of the persecution of Falun Dafa."

Rintoul pointed to bruises on his neck, forehead and arm. His knee was also swollen because of his confrontation with Chinese police, he said.

Rintoul said he was on his way to Tiananmen Square to meet other practitioners and wave banners in support of Falun Gong.

"Some police just pulled me over," he said. "They started pulling me and then the police started punching and kicking me.

"One of them grabbed my throat and started crushing my throat. I squirmed free, but then they forced me into the car where the officer pressed my face into the corner of the seat with his knee and then smothered my face with his hand. I could barely breathe."

Falun Gong, also known as Falun Dafa, is a spiritual practice involving slow-moving exercise, meditation and the cultivation of the principles of truthfulness, compassion and forbearance.

Practitioners say 338 people have been killed due to police brutality while in custody in China, where the practice is outlawed. At least 100,000 have been detained and 20,000 have been sent to forced labour camps, they say.

Rintoul was brought to a hotel where he was detained for about 20 hours, he said.

He was never formally charged with any crime or officially arrested, he said.

Police officers arrived at the hotel the next day and told Rintoul "to go home."

Rintoul said he became involved with Calgary's small, 20-member Falun Gong movement about 11 months ago.

He anticipated he would "have problems" in Beijing, but said the ordeal will help Calgarians understand more about Falun Gong and the plight of Chinese practitioners in China.

Rintoul's mother, M.J. Rintoul, said she is proud her son is standing up for something he supports.

"He wanted to make a statement and he believes in what he is doing. He has strong convictions and I think that is good in youn