(Clearwisdom.net) On Saturday May 29, UK Falun Gong practitioners began their 2004 Scotland Car Tour aiming to raise awareness of the persecution of Falun Gong in China. Four practitioners from both Scotland and England will be taking part in the Car Tour, which will visit 6 Scottish cities in 6 days. The tour was launched in Scotland's capital city of Edinburgh by local Member of Parliament Mike Pringle, who made the following statement:
"I'm here because Falun Gong practitioners are going to conduct a car tour all over Scotland and are going to various cities. I'm very, very happy to support them in their aims of freedom of expression in China. Clearly in Scotland they can practice whatever they want to; anybody can practice this in Scotland and this, in my belief, should be extended across the world, in particular to the fascist state of China."
MSP Mike Pringle (centre) talks with Dafa practitioners | Launching the 2004 Scotland Car Tour |
News that the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) has been invited to take part in this year's Edinburgh Military Tattoo left practitioners with an opportunity to let people know about the part that the PLA has played in the persecution of Falun Gong. Practitioners set up a Falun Dafa information stall in Edinburgh city center and told people about the crimes of genocide that are happening in China. Hundreds of people signed a petition recognizing Jiang Zemin's accountability in this persecution that has claimed 960 lives (official documented figure -- the real figure is thought to be several thousand).
Demonstrating Falun Gong exercises
Practitioners demonstrated the Falun Gong exercises, distributed leaflets and chatted with people. Many people were annoyed about these human rights atrocities against those who live their lives by Falun Gong's principles of Truthfulness, Compassion and Tolerance. People were also dismayed that the PLA have been asked to take part in the Tattoo and publicly protested their discontent that they have been invited to Scotland at all. This sentiment was echoed by Member of Scottish Parliament Mike Pringle who stated, "I do object very strongly to representatives of the Chinese Government in the form of the army coming to perform in Scotland, particularly at what is a very prestigious event -- the Tattoo. I just don't believe they should have been invited and I think that feeling is expressed by an awful lot of other people as well."
Crowds around the Falun Gong stand | People sign the petition |
Source: http://clearharmony.net/articles/200405/19928.html