(Minghui.org) Falun Gong practitioners held activities in Strasbourg, a city in eastern France, on December 7 and 8, 2024, to raise awareness of the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) persecution of their faith. The events were held to observe Human Rights Day, which fell on December 10.
For two consecutive days, practitioners set up information booths at Place Austerlitz and Place du Corbeau. They demonstrated the exercises, held waist drum performances, and collected signatures on a petition. Many passersby stopped to watch and learn more about Falun Gong.
After learning that Falun Gong practitioners face persecution in China for practicing Truthfulness, Compassion, and Forbearance, and are even subjected to forced organ harvesting, many people signed the petition calling for an end to the persecution.
A woman from Marseille signed the petition and said, “Thank you for coming here to share with us this information. What you are doing is very important—please keep going.” A man said, “Your fight is right—please continue. We are fortunate to be born in France.” A Christian person remarked, “I will pray for you!”
Falun Gong practitioners hold activities in the center of Strasbourg, France, to raise awareness of the CCP’s persecution in China.
People sign the petition to end the persecution in central Strasbourg.
We Need to Raise Awareness as Much as Possible
Clotilde Véron, a cancer specialist and former member of Amnesty International’s medical team, has consistently advocated for respect for fundamental rights.
She said that basic human rights are being violated globally. “Raising awareness is crucial. What I’ve seen in the exercise demonstrations might seem mysterious to many, but we can clearly see this is an expression of traditional Chinese culture, and it’s done very well—exceptionally well,” she said.
Véron noted that this practice, aimed at improving health, is being suppressed. The practitioners explained that it was because in the late 1990s, at least 70 million people were practicing Falun Gong in China, nearly outnumbering the members of the CCP. This was something the CCP could not tolerate.
“When people’s right to survive is completely stripped away, it becomes very serious,” she said. “We need to raise awareness as much as possible, because the more people know the truth, the more they will want to take action.”
The CCP’s Actions Are Appalling
Arnaud, who works for a private company, talked with Falun Gong practitioners and read the display boards about the CCP’s recent 60-year history. He said, “The actions of the CCP are disgusting, brutal, and utterly dark. What they have done to humanity is horrifying.”
Arnaud said Falun Gong’s principles are wonderful values that benefit everyone and all of humanity. He sees the practice as an excellent method of self-cultivation. With these principles, people could reduce or even stop conflicts.
He said, “Does the CCP want to eradicate this? Even destroy it entirely? In the end, they are only destroying themselves.”
Falun Gong practitioners held activities at Place Austerlitz in central Strasbourg to introduce the practice and raise awareness of the persecution on December 7 and 8.
Adrien encountered Falun Gong at Place Austerlitz. He was stunned to learn that 100 million people in China were persecuted because of their faith in Falun Gong. He had assumed that all Chinese people were atheists with no religious beliefs. Learning that Falun Gong is a faith deeply loved and followed by many people in China made him happy.
He said, “I dislike communism—it is the root of evil. When I learned that practitioners are working hard to expose the CCP’s persecution of Falun Gong, their efforts and dedication deeply comforted me.”
Falun Gong practitioners demonstrated the exercises and collected signatures at Place du Corbeau in central Strasbourg on December 7 and 8, 2024.
Nurse: I Hope One Day the Persecution Will End
Johanna Teston, a nurse, shared her thoughts at Place du Corbeau: “I see that many wrong and terrible things still exist in the world. People are aware of these issues but take little action. Concentration camp conditions persist, whether in China or elsewhere. By 2024, I think humanity is smart enough, and science is advancing, so things like forced organ harvesting should no longer happen. But some people must be exploiting this, and it’s shameful that such things are still tolerated. I hope one day all this will change.”
Zahia, a caregiver who assists the elderly with daily living, was deeply upset by the forced organ harvesting. She said: “I oppose organ trafficking—it’s inhumane. To exploit humans in this way is beyond comprehension. For me, organ trafficking is an act of inhumanity. It’s terrifying. Seeing both adults and children being persecuted is heartbreaking because the pain and emotional scars of losing loved ones are hard to heal. It’s difficult. I wish them have courage, and I especially hope that God is with them.”
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