(Clearwisdom.net) On June 26, 2003, Falun Gong practitioners held a press conference at a Holiday Inn to clarify the truth about the assault directed by Liang Guanjun outside the Yidong Restaurant against Falun Gong practitioners on the evening of June 23, and to correct many media organizations' false reports. They also displayed at the press conference enlarged photos, and showed a piece of video filmed by the media.
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| Falun Gong practitioners hold a press conference on June 26 | Early on the morning of June 26, Liang Guanjun is escorted by New York police out of the fifth police precinct |
A police officer of the New York Fifth Precinct, Mr. Gregory Kelly, confirmed that Liang Guanjun had been arrested on the charge of assault. The case is under investigation. It is reported that Liang Guanjun has been released because he is a "celebrity in the community."
The New York City Chinese Association leader's assault incident shook the overseas Chinese people, and many Chinese people called for exposing China's underground influence and pro-Communist leaders.
Volunteer spokesperson for the Falun Dafa Information Center, Mr. Zhou Shiyu, said that on the evening of June 23, some Falun Gong practitioners arrived outside the Yidong Restaurant in hopes that the departing UN ambassador of China, Wang Yingfan, could forward their request to stop the persecution of Falun Gong practitioners in China, but they were assaulted, and some of them were injured while not fighting back. Falun Gong practitioners recalled that Liang Guanjun said at the time, "You're Falun Gong, I'll beat you!" and he also repeated, "I'll beat you to death!" Falun Dafa Information Center Spokesperson, American practitioner Ms. Nadine Leichter said, "It's hard to imagine that in America, that because of one's belief, because one is practicing Falun Gong, someone could point at the person and say, 'I'm going to kill you.' What kind of society would this be like? "
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| A group of people led by Liang Guanjun assault several Falun Gong practitioners and injure them. | Hua Junxiong is pointing | Assailants shove Falun Gong practitioners |
Ms. Leichter expressed that dozens of people who attended the banquet rushed out and surrounded the practitioners, tearing up their flyers and assaulting them. Ms. Leichter also displayed the enlarged photos taken that night and showed a piece of video filmed by a certain TV station.
New York Falun Gong practitioners emphasized, "Our peaceful appeal was subjected to assault and threats. This is not allowed in a democratic society."
Some reporters asked: why not resolve the problem through making phone calls or through dialogue instead of protesting when others were hosting a banquet? The answer was: Falun Gong has always been a peaceful group, just like Falun Gong practitioners in China, who have to go to Tiananmen Square to clarify the truth to people when all channels of access to the government were blocked. Practitioners in America also chose to directly clarify the truth to the Chinese Ambassador when they did not have a direct and fair opportunity to have a dialogue with Chinese communities overseas controlled by the Chinese Consulates.
The assault incident directed by Liang Guanjun that occurred in New York City's Chinatown caused a strong response from overseas Chinese people. Many of them wrote articles denouncing China's ruffians like Liang Guanjun that damage China's image abroad. It is reported that this has not been the first time that Liang has assaulted people in the US.
A few years ago when Jiang visited the US, Liang once assaulted and directed the assault of people at a theatre in front of many people. Some overseas Chinese suggested Falun Gong practitioners charge him with a "hate crime," taking appropriate legal action against such hatred and hostility and assault, or taking another civil action.
Falun Gong practitioners have sued Jiang for the crime of genocide in the US
Chinese police assault Falun Gong practitioners on Tiananmen Square
According to Falun Gong practitioners, the World Organization to Investigate the Persecution of Falun Gong is systematically investigating crimes involving the persecution of innocent Falun Gong practitioners, and providing evidence for the global lawsuit against those who participated in murdering, defaming and beating Falun Gong practitioners. According to the organization, some overseas Chinese leaders are also their targets for investigation for cooperating with Jiang to persecute Falun Gong practitioners.
