(Minghui.org) The crowds in Hamburg’s city center welcomed Falun Dafa practitioners’ rally and parade on September 4, 2021. This was the first large-scale activity practitioners have held in Hamburg since the coronavirus outbreak. They introduced Falun Dafa to the public and told people about the ongoing persecution in China. They called on the public to help end the CCP’s (Chinese Communist Party) 22-year-long persecution. A member of the Hamburg State Assembly spoke at the rally to lend her support.

Practitioners held a rally in front of Hamburg’s city hall on September 4, 2021 to introduce the practice to the public. They also exposed the ongoing persecution in China and called on the CCP regime to end the persecution.

Hamburg is the second largest city in Germany. It sits at the estuary of the Elbe River and is the largest port in Germany and one of the most important logistical hubs in Europe. The sun shone brightly on the day of the practitioners’ events. With the easing of pandemic restrictions, many locals and tourists came out to enjoy the fine weather.

The majestic music of the Tian Guo Marching Band drew many people to the square in front of city hall to listen as they performed. They read the handouts practitioners distributed and learned about the health benefits of practicing Falun Dafa and why the CCP persecutes it. Many people talked with practitioners to learn more and signed the petition demanding that the CCP end the persecution.

Practitioners demonstrate the Falun Dafa exercises in front of Hamburg’s city hall.

The Waist Drum Team performs.

Practitioners commemorate their fellow practitioners who died in China because of the brutal persecution.

People sign the petition to support the practitioners’ effort to end the persecution in China.

People learn the facts about Falun Dafa and the persecution.

Crowds are drawn to watch the practitioners’ rally.

Member of State Assembly Praises Falun Dafa’s Principles

Ms. Alske Freter, member of the Hamburg State Assembly and the Green Party’s spokesperson at the European and International Affairs, addresses the rally.

Ms. Alske Freter, member of the Hamburg State Assembly and the Green Party spokesperson at the European and International Affairs, and Mr. Hubert Körper, head of the Chinese department of the German International Society for Human Rights, spoke at the rally. They condemned the CCP’s persecution of Falun Dafa and the crime of organ harvesting from living practitioners incarcerated for their faith.

Ms. Freter praised Falun Dafa’s principles, “Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance,” and said, “These values should be promoted not only in China, but in the world.” “The principles bring hope to people and contribute to peace and respect among mankind.”

The representative said that the persecution was "unacceptable and intolerable." In the past 22 years Falun Dafa practitioners in China have been monitored, arrested, persecuted, and sent to labor camps simply because they steadfastly follow a peaceful practice.

She pointed out that the CCP harvests organs from tens of thousands of practitioners in China while they are still alive, and sells the organs for transplants. She demanded the CCP allow independent institutions to enter China and conduct investigations. She asked the CCP to immediately stop these human rights violations and the persecution of Falun Dafa and other minorities.

Finally she thanked the practitioners for their peaceful and persistent efforts to end the persecution and appealed to the public to pay attention to the persecution in China.

Mr. Hubert Körper, the head of the Chinese department of the German International Society for Human Rights, speaks at the rally.

Mr. Körper called on the German government to help stop the relentless persecution of Falun Dafa practitioners and other religious groups in China.

People Drawn to the Practitioners’ Parade

Passersby stopped to watch the practitioners’ parade in Hamburg’s city center on September 4, 2021.

Along with the two rallies that day, practitioners also paraded through Hamburg’s popular city center. The Tian Guo Marching Band in blue and white led the parade, and practitioners held up banners that read: “Falun Dafa is Good” and “The World Needs Truthfulness, Compassion, Forbearance.”

Next came a group of practitioners dressed in white mourning clothes, holding photos of practitioners who died in the persecution in China. They wanted the world to know that the persecution must be stopped. Members of the Waist Drum Team rounded out the parade. Their golden outfits brought positive energy that uplifted the crowd.

The parade set off from city hall and passed along Lake Alster, Neuer Wall & Schleusenbrück, Berg Street, Mönckberger Street, and reached Gerhart-Hauptmann Plaza. Crowds gathered along the parade route to watch the Tian Guo Marching Band’s and the Waist Drum Team’s performances. Shop owners came out to watch and children danced to the beat.

Divine Beings Will Protect the Faithful

Stepanie from Switzerland stopped to enjoy the Tian Guo Marching Band’s music and learned about the persecution after talking to a practitioner. She immediately signed the petition and said, “Divine beings will protect the faithful.”

Billion, a computer specialist, said, “The persecution in China is unacceptable. Some people may think that it is just something that happens far away from us, not me.”

Enno, a public servant, and his wife came from a small town in Lower Saxony. After he signed the petition, he said that it was his first time he’s heard about the persecution.

Musician Irena came from Poland six years ago. Before she left, she took a lot of fliers and said that she was interested in learning to practice.

Chinese: If Only We Could See Such a Spectacular Parade in China

An elderly man from China surnamed Qu came to Germany seven years ago and lives in a small city near Hamburg. He was excited to see the parade and said he used to practice Falun Dafa in China, but stopped because of the persecution. "It would be great if people in China could see such a spectacular parade."

He followed practitioners along the entire parade route and took many photos. He asked for the address where the practitioners exercise every day in Hamburg. He said that he wanted to resume practicing and doing the exercises.