(Clearwisdom.net) On June 1, Falun Gong practitioners from the greater New York area gathered in front of the Chinese consulate in New York to urgently call upon people in all walks of life to help rescue Dr. Charles Li.

Dr. Charles Li was arrested at Guangzhou airport in January when he returned home to visit his family and was imprisoned in China after being ushered through a "show trial" in March for allegedly "preparing" to tap into Chinese state-run T.V. and broadcast programs exposing the persecution of Falun Gong in China. To protest his illegal detention by the Chinese regime, the persecution of Falun Gong in general, and the unlawful treatment he has received from prison guards and officials, and the fact that Nanjing Prison officials removed the 8 pages from an affidavit he prepared that contained specifics of his request to become a plaintiff in the class-action lawsuit against former Chinese leader, Jiang Zemin, Dr. Li initiated the hunger strike on May 27. A U.S. official said that the Chinese government is "completely responsible" for Dr. Li's well-being.

Practitioners appealed in light rains in front of New York's Chinese consulate. A press conference was held at 1pm. A representative of the practitioners pointed out, "The U.S. government and the American people are watching this case closely and seriously and it is an undisputed fact that many Falun Gong practitioners have been killed as a result of force feeding while on hunger strikes in Chinese prisons and labor camps.

Many of the pedestrians and drivers passing the areas expressed concerns on the matter.

Charles Li has been on hunger strike since May 27. Practitioners around the world have initiated an urgent appeal to rescue Charles Li and persecuted Falun Gong practitioners, and to bring Jiang to justice.