The annual Chinese New Year Parade in Vancouver, Canada had turned its back on Falun Gong applications to participate in past years, instigated by pro-CCP forces. The application for the 2007 Chinese New Year Parade got the same result. Practitioners in Vancouver decided to break through such unreasonable obstruction, and resolved to take part in this year's parade.
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| Falun Gong contingent in the parade |
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| Falun Gong contingent in the parade |
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| Young people watch Falun Gong practitioners' parade |
Falun Gong practitioners communicated with the Vancouver police, and gained their understanding and support. The day when the parade was held, practitioners clarified the facts about Falun Gong to sponsors on the spot, and had a peaceful exchange with them. During the parade, though pro-communist persons obstructed and harassed them, practitioners remained firm, peaceful and rational, the parade moved on smoothly, and received favourable comments from spectators.
The parade set off at noon on February 18th, 2007. Practitioners went to Chinatown at 9:00 a.m. for group practice and then lined at the end of the parade procession according to the agreement with the police.
Chinatown was full of people, and the streets were very crowded. Among spectators were not only Chinese people but also many Westerners and people of other ethnic groups.
The Falun Gong contingent was in good order. At the front were banners reading "Falun Gong Practitioners Wish Chinese People A Happy Chinese New Year!" "Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance," and "Falun Dafa Is Good." After that were Dance Troupe and Waist Drum Troupe.
When the Falun Gong group appeared at the scene of the parade as agreed with the police and the sponsor, suddenly, pro-communist persons instigated a group of young people to form a human wall to obstruct the practitioners' contingent. They then changed to a group of elderly people, and then in an instant, a group of non-Chinese people took over. Over a period of about fifteen minutes, three groups of people were changed under spectators' eyes. Their foolishness attracted the attention of the spectators and the media. Many spectators showed concern. The truth of the event was also exposed.
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| A group of young men forms a human wall to block the way of Falun Gong contingent |
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| Two persons (the first and second in the right) wearing organisers' cards, in an attempt to obstruct Falun Gong practitioners from taking part in the parade |
A man and a woman who wore cards in front of their chests and claimed to be two of the organisers vehemently blamed Falun Gong practitioners, and brazenly told lies in front of the police and video camera of the local TV station. When the TV reporter learned from interviewing Falun Gong practitioners that the Falun Gong contingent was the last one of the parade procession and was apart from the entire procession for a certain distance, it was because the sponsor did not reply to Falun Gong practitioners' application. The two persons were telling lies, claiming that Falun Gong did not apply for a permit. Practitioners immediately corrected them. The two persons were speechless when the reporter questioned them closely.
During the ruckus, practitioners remained peaceful while holding banners, performing dances and playing the waist drums, waiting for the police to properly handle the situation. Soon, the obstructors were asked to leave and the Falun Gong procession continued. All of Chinatown reverberated with the loud, clear and joyous singing, "Falun Dafa Is Good," accompanied by vigorous drumbeats and practitioners' elegant dances.
When Falun Gong practitioners' contingent walked by, some people on the roadsides were moved to tears, some made thumbs-up gestures, and more people attentively watched while pondering.
In order to keep a distance from the main parade procession, Falun Gong practitioners' parade lasted for quite a long time, and had more opportunities to contact the audience. People took pictures to keep precious scenes. More Chinese people and people of other ethnic groups took the opportunities to have photos taken with Falun Gong contingent, particularly, a Falun Gong practitioner who dressed as "Lady of Manchu Court" in the contingent, became the shining "star". Her beautiful costumes and elegant demeanour, received particular favour from the audience.
When the parade reached the end point, the crowd of spectators surrounded the practitioners, watching their performances for quite some time. While practitioners rested on nearby lawn after the performance, many people walked up to them to request having photos taken with them.
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