Photo Report: National Mobilization Day in Italy - Urgent: Rescue Falun Dafa Practitioners Persecuted in China

September 25, Rome News - The Italian Falun Dafa Association and the NTC Human Rights Association (a non-government organization) co-hosted the "SOS - Urgent: Rescue Falun Dafa Practitioners Persecuted in China National Mobilization Day." Many Italian nongovernmental organizations responded to this initiative. More than 200 practitioners from European countries, Taiwan, Canada, Australia and the US participated in the activities.

Practitioners arrived on the Parliament Square at 9 am. They continuously demonstrated the five sets of exercises. Their elegant and peaceful movements drew the attention of many spectators. Even though many news agencies had shown no interest before the event due to the terrorists' attacks in the US, once the activity started many news agencies did show up and conducted long interviews.

During the noontime, the vice Chairman of the Parliament granted an interview with the Falun Gong delegation.

At 12.30pm, a press conference was held in the Parliament Square. Many government officials, including a former European Union Parliament Chairwoman, a vice Chairman of the Italian Parliament, the Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee, the Chairman of the Judiciary Committee, and the NTC Association Chairman gave speeches and highly praised Falun Gong practitioners' benevolence and peacefulness. They called "Truthfulness-Compassion-Tolerance" the mutual values of human kind. They expressed their support for the legal rights Falun Gong practitioners have and called upon the Chinese government to stop the brutal persecution of Falun Gong. A Falun Gong representative also briefed the audience about the current situation in which Jiang Zemin's regime has stepped up their nationalized terrorism policy to persecute Falun Dafa practitioners.

At 3pm, the parade started from the famous Spain Square. Walking in the front was European Parliament member Marco Panella, as well as many NTC members. They marched to the Chinese Embassy. An Italian practitioner read the appeal letter to the ambassador. Mr. Panella went to the embassy to present the appeal letter. The embassy, however, refused to accept it.

In the evening, practitioners gathered in Spain Square to hold a candle light vigil to mourn the 283 practitioners who have died as a consequence of the brutal persecution.

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