Metro (New York): Falun Gong members protest exclusion from parade [Excerpt]

NEW YORK Falun Gong practitioners are protesting against the July 3, 2004 Independence Day Parade in Chinatown.

Members of the spiritual practice say they tried to apply to march in the parade, but were told by the parade's organizer, Steven Wong, that he was under "severe pressure" from procommunist business association leaders as well as the Chinese consulate to prevent them from joining the parade.

"I find it reprehensible," said Nadine Leichter, a volunteer coordinator for Falun Gong. "Nobody has been able to tell me in Chinatown how they can defend it. If they're willing to persecute us, then the Independence Day parade is all for show and doesn't represent the principles our country was founded on."

[...]

According to the Falun Gong practitioners, Wong gave them three choices: they could break into the parade after it had started and he would look the other way; they could set up on a street along the parade route; or they could participate in the parade without any right to carry identifying clothing, signs or banners.

(From http://parex.metro.st/ftp/20040624_1000042.pdf)