(Clearwisdom.net) On the evening of April 25, 2011, Falun Gong practitioners from the greater Washington DC area held a candlelight vigil in front of the Chinese Embassy to commemorate the April 25 appeal. They called for an immediate stop to the persecution of Falun Gong, and for bringing Jiang Zemin and other culprits to justice.

Most of the practitioners came to join the event after work. They held large banners with the words “Falun Dafa,” “Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance,” and “Bring Jiang Zemin, Luo Gan, Liu Jing, and Zhou Yongkang to Justice.”

On the evening of April 25, 2011, Falun Gong practitioners from the greater Washington DC area held a candlelight vigil in front of Chinese Embassy to commemorate the April 25 appeal.

On April 25, 1999, nearly 10,000 Falun Gong practitioners went to Beijing to appeal to the central government for a peaceful practice environment. The peaceful appeal was framed by Jiang Zemin, former head of Chinese Communist Party (CCP), and used as a pretext to initiate the brutal persecution of Falun Gong, which has lasted twelve years.

Ms. Wang from Beijing said that she didn't know what the April 25 appeal was and found out the facts online.

Ms. Wang started practicing Falun Gong in July 2004. She said, “People around me said my health had a big change. I was dying due to illness. After practicing Falun Gong, my appearance and health have changed significantly. I have become energetic. I practice the principles of Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance and live happily.”

Practitioner Wattana from Washington DC said that he still remembered the photo in the Washington Post showing many practitioners appealing in Beijing in 1999.

He said he started practicing Falun Gong in 1998 and has benefited a lot. He said he would continue to protest until the persecution ends.

Keith Ware and his family came to join the candlelight vigil. Keith said he started practicing Falun Gong on January 1, 2000. He said he had serious illness in his legs which was not curable after surgery and taking medicine for 25 years. After practicing Falun Gong for three months, he had two new legs and was able to do many things he had not been able to do before. He said his life had more important meaning and goals.

Keith said that he would work hard to let more people know about Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance.

For 12 years, Falun Gong practitioners have commemorated the April 25 appeal and called for stopping the persecution.