(Clearwisdom.net) As thousands converge on Beijing for the opening of the Olympic Games on Friday, local practitioners of a spiritual practice declared illegal in China were preparing to gather at Independence Mall on Thursday night for a candlelight vigil.

Cindy Wang is a local practitioner of Falun Gong, a spiritual practice of meditation and exercise declared illegal in China since 1999. She says that because the Chinese government wants no dissent during the games, the crackdown on Falun Gong practitioners has increased in the months leading up to the games.

She says local practitioners will gather opposite the Liberty Bell and honor those who have been tortured, detained, and killed for practicing Falun Gong:

"Mr. Gang Chen of South Jersey, who actually suffered 18 months of torture at the labor camp. It's in Beijing, right next to some of the hotels."

Wang says the vigil is also to make people more aware of the situation. She says the Chinese government has admitted that it has blocked Internet sites that mention Falun Gong and other human rights issues.