(Minghui.org) Falun Dafa practitioners held an event in front of St. Stephan’s Cathedral on Stephansplatz Square in Vienna on July 17, 2021, to raise awareness of the persecution of Falun Dafa by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) that has continued for 22 years.

The event featured torture re-enactments and group exercise demonstrations. Many tourists and local residents stopped to observe the activities and ask questions. Speakers told about the CCP's live organ harvesting from practitioners in China and how, by cultivating Falun Dafa, practitioners have improved their minds and bodies.

Falun Dafa practitioners hold a candlelight vigil to mourn practitioners who were persecuted to death.Practitioners demonstrate the exercises in front of St. Stephan’s CathedralPractitioners' torture re-enactmentsPeople sign the petition to appeal for an end to the persecution of Falun Dafa.

Passersby read truth-clarification exhibition boards and watch practitioners demonstrate the exercises

Many people went straight to the information table to sign the petition to help stop the persecution. People expressed disgust about the crimes the CCP has committed in persecuting Falun Dafa practitioners.

Practitioners’ exercise demonstrations also attracted many onlookers, and people took photos to keep as a remembrance.

After signing the petition, Mr. Tanji from Austria told a practitioner that he thought the CCP’s persecution of its own citizens, including minorities, was cruel and inhumane. He wanted to go to the Chinese embassy to protest the CCP's persecution of human rights.

After seeing the torture re-enactment, a woman said, “We should let the whole world know [about the persecution of Falun Dafa].” Another woman said that the cruel persecution of Falun Dafa by the CCP is an example of how humanity's moral values have degenerated and that it is a challenge to the bottom line of what it means to be a human being.

After signing the petition, two university students said that this was the first time they’d heard about the CCP's persecution of Falun Dafa and that it was frightening and alarming to learn that such peaceful cultivators were being persecuted. They sent their best wishes to the Falun Dafa practitioners in China.

Two university students sign the petition to support an end to the persecution of Falun Dafa.

After hearing about the persecution in China, many people signed the petition calling for an end to the CCP. A lady from China who now lives in Austria signed the petition. She commented that every time she goes back to visit China, she can see how quickly the moral values of Chinese society are degenerating. In China, people cannot tell the truth because of the country’s ideological terrorism. If you do not agree with the CCP's phony propaganda, you face the danger of being persecuted. The lady quit the CCP and its affiliated organizations at the event.

A young couple learned about Falun Dafa and the persecution in China during the activities. The woman wanted to make a donation to show her support for ending the persecution, but it was politely refused. The couple said that they were very happy to learn about Falun Dafa.

A woman and her brother paused to observe the event. She said that she was very touched because a few years ago she had encountered another Falun Dafa event on Stephansplatz and had not expected to run into practitioners again.

Anna from Germany passed the Falun Dafa practitioners’ information counter with her friend from Austria. She said, “Thank you to all of you who are standing here today holding this event. I wish you every success. Please fight on for your rights. Do not give up.”

Anna said she had learned the truth about the persecution of Falun Dafa two years ago. She said that nobody has the right to take away our basic rights and freedom.