(Clearwisdom.net) On December 10, 2005, International Human Rights Day, practitioners from Salzburg and Bavaria held an anti-persecution rally in the city of Salzburg to protest the Chinese Communist regime's persecution of Falun Gong practitioners in China. The activity won support from the general public, as many passersby signed the petition to oppose the persecution. During the entire activity, a long line of people could often be seen in front of the table patiently waiting to sign their names.

Falun Gong practitioners demonstrate the exercises at an anti-persecution rally

Salzburg, a city of music, renowned as the birthplace and home of Mozart, attracts tourists from all over the world with its elegant scenery. Though it was in the cold of winter, there were still many tourists visiting Salzburg. People from neighboring cities also came here on the weekend to shop for Christmas gifts. An old market in downtown Salzburg is a place where people go to do shopping and sightseeing. There is a steady stream of shoppers and tourists, and the atmosphere is bustling and joyful. The Falun Gong practitioners' anti-persecution rally was held here on International Human Rights Day.

A woman with her daughter and her grandson from Munich, Germany passed by our rally and stopped. After learning about the persecution, the whole family signed the petition to show their support for ending the persecution. They also requested the book, the Nine Commentaries on the Communist Party. They said to the practitioners, "You've done quite well. The persecution of human rights in China must be stopped immediately. It is very important to let everyone, including people around the world, learn about the truth." The woman, who is a doctor, told the practitioners that she had a great interest in China. She said, "I once attended a medical seminar in China, and traveled around there for three weeks, I saw a lot of things. When I asked the tour guide some in-depth questions, she always avoided those topics. When I persisted in asking her, she refused to answer me with the excuse that it was a private question. I wanted to learn about China very much, but I want to know the truth. I don't want to only listen to the fixed set of lines from the tour guides."

Passersby request truth clarification materials and read them carefully

Passersby request truth clarification materials and read carefully

People sign the petition to oppose the persecution

The daughter, who is also a doctor, talked about the Chinese Communist Party's tactics of coercion, and said, "The former East Germany had a similar situation; people dared not talk about their political opinions even with their best friend, out of fear of the Communist Party. Everyone lived in terror. History tells us that when people who are deprived of their basic human rights dare to openly stand up to an unreasonable regime and demand those rights, the time for that regime to collapse is imminent."

A resident of Salzburg who is a designer for the performing arts, passed by the Falun Gong practitioners' rally while shopping, and was immediately attracted. After learning the facts, she earnestly told practitioners, "I sincerely hope that China stops its atrocities of trampling upon human rights. I hope that the Chinese people will wake up, cherish human rights, think independently and negate the Chinese Communist's tyranny."

On International Human Rights Day, Falun Gong practitioners also held anti-persecution activities in two other cities in Austria, Vienna and Lynd.

Source:http://www.clearharmony.net/articles/200512/30642.html