(Minghui.org) This past Independence Day weekend, Falun Dafa practitioners in Chicago participated in a celebration in Palatine, a town northwest of Chicago. They introduced Falun Dafa to local residents and told them about the ongoing persecution of the spiritual discipline in China.

After the Hometown Festival was canceled last year due to the pandemic, this year saw an increase in the number of attendees—both local residents and visitors from nearby cities who came to celebrate Independence Day, July 4th. Practitioners displayed information about Falun Dafa and how people in over 100 countries practice it.

Impressed by the gentle, slow-moving exercises and beautiful music, passersby stopped to watch or talk with practitioners for more information.

Practitioners introduce Falun Dafa during the Hometown Festival in Palatine, Illinois.

Some of the passersby had already heard about Falun Dafa, while others knew about the persecution. Several had attended Shen Yun performances in the past, and others were happy to hear about Falun Dafa for the first time. Those interested in learning the exercises picked up information about the local group practice site and said they would follow up. Some of them who lived far away hoped they could learn the exercises online.

One woman said she’d learned Tai Chi in the past. When she heard that the Falun Dafa website has books online to download along with an exercise video and video lectures by Mr. Li Hongzhi, the founder of the practice, she was excited. “I want to have a master to teach me, too!” she said. When she checked out the information on how to learn the exercises online, she was glad to see there was a session that evening. She registered for it and said she was looking forward to participating.

One man who stopped by asked about the persecution of Falun Dafa in China. He praised practitioners and gave them a thumbs up for their efforts to oppose the persecution. “You have my support,” he said. He took a picture of the website that teaches the exercises online and said he would register for a session to learn.

A man who discussed the persecution in China was interested in learning the exercises.

After he took a flyer, another man said he was aware of the suppression of Falun Dafa as well as global infiltration by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).

“The CCP wants to change the U.S. just like communist China,” he remarked. “What you are doing is important. Please keep it up!”