(Minghui.org) Around 1,000 Falun Dafa practitioners held a grand parade on Saturday February 26, 2023 along Brooklyn’s 8th Avenue, which is home to the third largest Chinese community in New York, to present the beauty of the mind and body practice to local residents. The parade also celebrated a milestone – 410 million Chinese renouncing their memberships in the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and its affiliated organizations. Many spectators praised the parade and said it had a powerful impact and was full of positive energy. Some also told practitioners they hope more people will practice Falun Dafa.
The parade conveyed three main messages: Falun Dafa is good, Stop the persecution of Falun Gong in China, and celebrate the 410 million who have quit the CCP and its affiliated organizations.
The Tian Guo Marching Band, composed of over 100 members, led the parade. They performed several songs including “Falun Dafa Is Good.” They were followed by giant replicas of Falun Dafa’s main book Zhuan Falun in both English and Chinese. Practitioners demonstrated the slow, gentle exercises. The procession also included banner and flag teams, a lotus flower team, a dragon and lion dance, and waist drum teams. Many people stood on the streets admiring the performances.
An estimated 1,000 Falun Dafa practitioners held a grand parade along Brooklyn’s 8th Avenue on February 26, 2023.
The theme of the second section of the parade was “Stop Persecuting Falun Gong.” Row after row of banners presented messages along this theme, calling on people to pay attention to the brutal 23-year-long persecution in China.
The second section of the parade held on February 26, 2023 highlighted the brutality of the 23-year-long persecution in China.
The theme of the third section was quitting the CCP, informing people that 410 million Chinese citizens have renounced their memberships in the CCP and its affiliated associations. Practitioners hope that more Chinese will realize the evil nature of the CCP and join those who have chosen to renounce their memberships.
The theme in the third section of the parade was quitting the CCP.
Practitioners marched from the 42nd to 59th street along 8th avenue. There are many popular shops on both sides of the road, and many people stopped to read the messages on the banners, and took photos and video recordings as the parade went by. Some told practitioners that they planned to share the recordings with friends and relatives in China. Practitioners gave out tiny lotus flowers with the message: “Falun Dafa Is Good, Truthfulness, Compassion, Forbearance Is Good.” These were well received by spectators.
Yi Rong, chairperson of the New York Falun Dafa Association said, “Falun Dafa is wonderful. The parade was bright and grand. We were welcomed by local residents. We hope people will realize that Falun Dafa is good, quit the CCP, and stay safe during the COVID pandemic.”
New Winter Jackets Designed by Shen Yun Dancer Clothing Company Debuts During Parade
Practitioners in the banner and flag team wore newly-designed winter jackets with the words “Falun Dafa” on them. These jackets were designed by Master Li, the founder of Falun Dafa.
Practitioners in the flag team wore new winter jackets with the words “Falun Dafa.”
According to Shirley Hu from the Shen Yun Dancer clothing company, the winter jackets were designed such that anyone wearing them, whether they are Asian or Caucasian will appear to be full of energy.
She added, “Falun Dafa is a form of cultivation. Practitioners strive to be good people with high moral standards. We hope practitioners who fled China to avoid the persecution can return to their home country soon and practice Falun Dafa freely.”
Spectators Praise Parade, Hope More People Practice Falun Dafa
Many people praised the parade and said it was full of positive energy. Some said they hope more people will practice Falun Dafa.”
Spectator Mr. Yang said, “I was impressed by the parade. I feel that Falun Dafa practitioners are kind and they want the best for Chinese people. They are united and conduct themselves with high moral standards. When I heard the music I came to watch the parade.”
Ms. Guo said while recording the parade, “You cannot see this in China. I want to record this and send it back to China for people to see.”
Mr. W said, “This is spectacular. I recorded it with my mobile phone. I plan to send it to my friends on WeChat.”
Mr. Chen gave a thumbs up and said, “I watch this parade every year. I feel that this is truly promoting Chinese culture overseas and letting people outside China know the bad things the CCP has done.”
Another man named Chen said, “It was amazing! Falun Gong brings stability to society. They follow Truthfulness, Compassion, Forbearance and do good deeds.”
A spectator named Tian said, “This parade has brought great news. If the whole society learns Falun Gong, the world will be much better! I hope Falun Gong becomes more popular and promotes the true, traditional Chinese culture outside China.”
Ms. Chen said, “Falun Gong is good! Practitioners emit positive energy. They are righteous, eliminate evil and the virus, because with positive energy one’s immune system will naturally be strong.”
Mariana, a Falun Dafa practitioner from Slovakia, was in the last section of the parade - “Celebrating 410 Million Withdrawals from the CCP.” She hopes Chinese people can see through the evil nature of the CCP and distance themselves from it. “Slovakia nationals went through a difficult period. We know how terrible communism is. That is why I treat Chinese people with kindness,” she said.
Volunteers from the global Quit the CCP center helped Chinese nationals renounce their Party memberships during the parade. Nearly 200 people quit the CCP that day.
Background: What Is Falun Dafa and Why Is the CCP Persecuting It?
Falun Dafa (also known as Falun Gong) was first introduced to the public by Mr. Li Hongzhi in Changchun, China, in 1992. The spiritual discipline is now practiced in over 100 countries and regions worldwide. Millions of people who have embraced the teachings, which are based on the principles of Truthfulness, Compassion, and Forbearance, and have learned the five exercises, have experienced improved health and well-being.
Jiang Zemin, former head of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), perceived the spiritual discipline’s growing popularity as a threat to the CCP’s atheistic ideology, and on July 20, 1999, he issued an order to eradicate the practice.
Under Jiang’s personal direction, the CCP established the 610 Office, an extralegal security organization with the power to override the police and judicial systems and whose sole function is to carry out the persecution of Falun Dafa.
Minghui.org has confirmed the deaths of thousands of practitioners as a result of the persecution over the past 23 years. The actual number is believed to be much higher. Countless practitioners have been imprisoned and tortured for their faith.
There is concrete evidence that the CCP sanctions the harvesting of organs from detained practitioners, who are murdered to supply China’s organ transplant industry.
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