Montreal, Canada: Grand March Calls for an End to the 26-Year Persecution of Falun Gong

(Minghui.org) Practitioners held a march and rally in Montreal’s city center on July 19, 2025, calling for an end to the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) 26-year persecution of Falun Gong. The solemn procession marched along the main streets of the city center, passed through bustling commercial districts and many city landmarks, and conveyed the message: disintegrate the CCP and end the persecution. Many people expressed their support for practitioners as they arrived at the destination, Old Town Weapons Square, and held a rally.

Practitioners in Quebec held a march and rally in Montreal’s city center to call for an end to the persecution of Falun Gong.

The Tian Guo Marching Band marched down Hne-Levskaya Street, which is the main artery in the city center.

Practitioners carrying banners marched down St. Catherine Street.

Practitioners dressed in white commemorate practitioners who have died in the persecution.

Practitioners request that 81-year-old Cong Lanying, be released.

Passersby take videos of the banners.

Practitioners passed by Montreal’s landmark convention center.

The procession stretched for several blocks.

Practitioners arrived at the destination, Weapons Square.

Passersby read the truth-clarification display boards at the square.

People sign a petition calling for an end to the persecution.

The Persecution Is a State-Sponsored Crime

Falun Gong practitioner, Nicole Milot

Nicole Milot from Quebec joined the march.

Before her retirement, Milot was a notary public with nearly 50 years of experience. She started practicing Falun Gong in 1997. She said that Falun Gong provided her with answers to many of the questions which she has been searching for, such as the purpose of life, the reason for suffering hardships, the decline of society’s morality, etc. “The moral values that Falun Dafa taught us helped me open my heart to the world, and maintain my compassion. I changed from a person who felt that the world was dark gray and depressing to someone who is peaceful and happy.”

In order to protest the CCP’s unreasonable suppression, Milot went to China alone in 2002. She personally experienced the difficult environment that practitioners in China were going through. On Tiananmen Square, she was taken away by the police and detained. She was only released after she requested to meet with the Canadian Ambassador to China.

Milot condemns this brutal persecution that has persisted for 26 years and said, “This is a state-sponsored crime that persecutes people who strive to abide by the principles of Truthfulness, Compassion and Forbearance to become good people. This is totally unacceptable. Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance is the foundation of humanity. If we do not stand up to resist it, the persecution may come here. I will persist until the persecution ends.”

People Support Practitioners’ Efforts to End the Persecution

Mining engineer Eito

Mr. Eito from Brazil is a mining engineer. When he first saw the Falun Gong parade, he told a practitioner that he felt alarmed. “The promotions that people see in Brazil all brag that China is prosperous and how well people there are living now, but none of them mention the persecution. People do not know about the existence of such persecutions.”

Mr. Eito asked, “Falun Gong seems so peaceful. Why is it being persecuted by the CCP?” After learning about the CCP’s persecution of beliefs, and its atrocities of forced organ harvesting, he said, “This is really terrible. Now the Brazilian government actually supports the CCP. I must apologize to all of you, because this is the government’s actions which does not represent the voices of the people in Brazil. We do not agree with the CCP’s way of doing things.”

He also expressed his support for practitioners, “A parade like this is very good, as it shows the true situation in China. I totally support practitioners’ efforts to expose the persecution.”

Carl and Johanne said they were drawn to the banners and talked with a practitioner. Johanne said, “Such an event is important, because it can awaken people. We know that people in China must follow the guidance of the CCP or they will suffer from humiliation, or even disappear. The CCP uses terror to force people to follow its guidance. This is so tough. We really support your effort to expose the CCP’s persecution.”

Johanne fully agrees with Falun Gong’s principles of Truthfulness, Compassion and Forbearance and said, “We are losing these values. Truthfulness, Compassion and Forbearance have already been lost. These are values that we must incorporate in our daily lives. I fully agree with them.” She said she wants to go online to learn more about Falun Gong.

University students Lucilne and Katarina signed a petition that calls for an end to the persecution.

Lucilne and Katarina from Europe were in Montreal for their internship. They both said, “We are very thankful to have such events. It gives us the chance to learn about the persecution, which we did not know [about] but is happening in China. We support Falun Gong practitioners. This persecution should not be happening.”