Minghhui/Clearwisdom correspondent from Vancouver and Cai Ju, correspondent in New York
(Clearwisdom.net) On the afternoon of September 16, 2005, Hu Jintao, head of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), arrived in Vancouver, Canada, his last stop on his North America trip. Falun Gong practitioners appealed around the Westin Hotel where Hu stayed, to call on him to stop the persecution of Falun Gong. The practitioners held banners worded, "Bring to Justice Jiang Zemin, Luo Gan, Liu Jing, and Zhou Yingkang", "Bring to Justice the Ruthless Police and Others Who Persecute Falun Gong."
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Practitioners appeal around the Westin Hotel where Hu Jintao was staying
Hu Jintao's Motorcade Passed by the Practitioners Holding Banners
To welcome Hu, the CCP hired many Chinese students and tried to have Hu avoid seeing the Falun Gong practitioners' banners. However, practitioners holding banners stood around the hotel. A little past 3 p.m., Hu's motorcade entered the hotel via the rear entrance to avoid seeing practitioners near the front entrance. Some practitioners waited near the rear entrance and displayed their banners to Hu's motorcade.
Passers-by Support Falun Gong and Oppose the Persecution
A passer-by saw the practitioners' appealing and came forward to help by holding a poster on the sidewalk. He said to the correspondent that he agreed with Falun Gong's principles of "Truth, Compassion, Tolerance." He said, "I think the persecution in China is wrong. It is damaging the world. I oppose persecution and repression. When I see anything unjust, I will stand up."
Some passers-by told practitioners, "You will win. You will win. The CCP is the source of terrorism across the world."
Pro-CCP Persons Attempted to Create Conflict and Tore the Practitioners' Banners
Banner worded, "Stop the persecution of Falun Gong" torn by pro-CCP
persons
In front of the hotel where Hu stayed, some pro-CCP persons tore practitioners' banners.
Practitioner Ms. Fei said, "Everyone can express his views. But these pro-CCP persons saw that I held a banner worded 'Stop the persecution of Falun Gong' and grabbed it. Later they tore the banner. They lost control and appeared irrational. I said, 'You express your view, I express my view. We are in Canada. Everyone has freedom of expression.' They did not listen but just grabbed my banner."
A Canadian said, "This is Canada. Everyone has Freedom of Expression."
A Canadian gentleman, who safeguarded justice for the practitioners said, "I think the lady has her right to express her view. Those pro-CCP persons holding red flags stabbed her with the flags and tore the lady's banner." The Canadian gentleman said, "This is Canada. One cannot be attacked for expressing his view."
Practitioner Frank from Vancouver commented on the incident, "A practitioner held a banner worded 'Stop the persecution of Falun Gong.' Many Chinese people holding red flags blocked the view of the banner with the flags and hit her with the flags. Some dragged her. A Canadian passer-by saw the incident and came forward to safeguard the banner and the lady because she was being attacked. Many pro-CCP persons grabbed banners, tore them up and threw them on ground. They even abused the practitioners. The Canadian person spoke up in support of Falun Gong. I said to the pro-CCP persons, 'What you have done today can only damage China's image.'"
Police Officer in Charge: "Pro-CCP persons attempt to create conflict and frame Falun Gong."
A police officer in charge of the Vancouver police said that he saw the whole incident and knew who was at fault. It was those pro-CCP persons attempting to create an incident and frame Falun Gong. He hoped that practitioners would not become involved.
Falun Gong spokesperson: "We hope that Hu will awaken in time and stop the persecution."
Falun Gong spokesperson Ying Li said, "Today we come to mainly call on Hu Jintao to bring to justice those principal perpetrators of the persecution - Jiang Zemin, Luo Gan, Liu Jing and Zhou Yongkang. We also want him to bring to justice the ruthless police and others who persecute Falun Gong. The third thing that we want to say to Hu Jintao is this: 'The time that Heaven and the people are giving to you is limited.' The persecution was initiated by Jiang Zemin, but it is still ongoing."
Ying Li said, "We hope Hu Jintao will awake in time to stop the persecution of Falun Gong. Therefore, we would like to have him hear and see our message through the means of our banners and our peaceful appeal. Tomorrow we will continue our peaceful protest."
Hu Jintao in New York: Practitioners Get Their Message to Hu at Close Proximity on Several Occasions
Minghui/Clearwisdom correspondent Cai Ju reported from New York that from September 13, when Hu arrived in New York, to September 16, when he left New York, practitioners were able to get their message across to Hu at close proximity on several occasions.
Hu's Arrival at the Hotel
Practitioners appealing on the sidewalk in front of the hotel
On the day of his arrival at New York, Hu's motorcade entered the hotel via the north entrance to avoid seeing practitioners appealing on Park Avenue, even though there was a Chinese welcome group hired to show up there. Before entering, some people accompanying the visitors from Mainland China were arranged to wave Chinese flags to welcome Hu. Several practitioners were on site as well and spoke loudly toward the motorcade, "Falun Dafa is Great!" "Hu Jintao, the time that Heaven and the people give to you is limited" and "Stop the persecution of Falun Gong."
Exiting and Entering the Hotel
At 8:30 a.m. on September 14, Hu Jintao left the hotel for the United Nations. His motorcade came across practitioners. Mr. Wang, a practitioner on site at the time, said, "A practitioner first held up a banner worded, 'Hu Jintao, the Time that Heaven and the People Give to You is Limited.' Then two other banners beside this one were also raised. Almost at the same time, Hu's motorcade drove by these banners. The loud voice of 'Falun Dafa is great' was heard everywhere. The scene took place within one or two minutes, just like it was pre-arranged."
Grand parade held on the evening of September 14 in midtown Manhattan
In the evening, practitioners came across Hu's motorcade returning to the hotel as they walked back to Park Avenue from the UN Square on Third Avenue, at the end of the grand parade. The practitioners spoke loudly towards the motorcade, "Falun Dafa is great!" "'Hu Jintao, the time that Heaven and the people give to you is limited," and, "Stop the persecution of Falun Gong."
On the morning of September 15, Hu Jintao walked out of the hotel towards his car with two security guards on both sides. At that moment, a practitioner named Lisa walked near the rear entrance of the hotel with a banner worded, "Falun Dafa is great" in hand. She told the correspondent, "When I looked up, I saw a man looking so familiar. Then I realized he was Hu Jintao. Immediately I looked him in the eye and said loudly, 'Hu Jintao, the time that Heaven and the people give to you is limited.' Practitioners nearby came forward right away. We spoke loudly again and again, saying, 'Falun Dafa is great!' 'Hu Jintao, the time that Heaven and people give to you is limited,' and 'Stop the persecution of Falun Gong,' until his motorcade left. The window of his car was open then."
In the afternoon, Hu's motorcade came across more practitioners standing at an intersection.
Leaving New York
Practitioners appealing in front of the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel around the
clock
At a little past 9 a.m., a dozen cars of the Chinese delegates' motorcade came out of the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel. Someone said that Hu Jintao left with the motorcade, but Falun Gong practitioners appealing in New York during the last few days did not leave. At 10:40 a.m., some practitioners saw Hu Jintao shake hands with some Chinese people and then get into his car. The motorcade left in a moment. The practitioners informed others in front of the hotel. When the motorcade drove by the front of the hotel, practitioners hurried there from all directions. Dozens of practitioners holding banners stood on the sidewalk beside Hu's motorcade. They spoke loudly, "Falun Dafa is great," "Hu Jintao, the time that Heaven and the people give to you is limited," and "Stop the persecution of Falun Gong." Then the front windows of the car slowly closed.
It was thought that the motorcade would go by 49th Street to 50th Street to avoid seeing practitioners. Some practitioners swiftly went to the 50th Street intersection from 48th Street and held large banners. They called out loudly again, "Falun Dafa is great!" "Stop the persecution of Falun Gong!" "Bring to justice Jiang Zemin, Luo Gan, Liu Jing, and Zhou Yongkang,," "Bring to justice the ruthless police and others who persecute Falun Gong," and, "Hu Jintao, the time that Heaven and the people give to you is limited." Some practitioners held banners on Park Avenue to wait for the motorcade.
The motorcade stayed about 5 minutes in front of the hotel and left amidst the loud voices of the practitioners.
Meeting Hu at the Airport
Practitioners' banners along the road to the airport
Practitioners had waited since morning near the entrance to the airport from the highway. They stood near the bus station and held dozens of large banners worded, "Falun Dafa is Great," "Stop the Persecution of Falun Gong," "Bring to Justice Jiang Zemin, Luo Gan, Liu Jing, and Zhou Yongkang," "Bring to Justice the Ruthless Police and Others Who Persecute Falun Gong," and "Hu Jintao, the Time That Heaven and the People Give to You Is Limited."
A little past 11 a.m., Hu's motorcade arrived and passed by the practitioners' banners and loud appeals. The banners were only a few steps away from the motorcade.
The organizers of the activity said, "Falun Gong practitioners' tireless efforts intended to have Hu Jintao know the facts of Falun Gong, to help him make a wise choice, stop the persecution and choose a bright future for himself and the Chinese people."
