Renewed Harassment of Falun Gong Practitioners Outside Chinese Consulate in Los Angeles

Tensions Rise as Falun Gong Practitioners Face Harassment Outside Chinese Consulate in Los Angeles

Los Angeles, CA – October 3, 2023: In a striking display of resilience, Falun Gong practitioners gathered peacefully outside the Chinese Consulate in Los Angeles, only to encounter renewed harassment from a consulate employee who attempted to seize one of their protest banners earlier this month. This incident has reignited concerns over Beijing’s transnational repression against the spiritual group, which has faced persecution since 1999.

According to reports from The Epoch Times, the practitioners regularly assemble in front of the consulate to meditate and display banners that highlight the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) ongoing abuses, including forced labor, torture, and organ harvesting. One banner specifically challenged the CCP’s narrative surrounding the "Tiananmen self-immolation hoax," a story often propagated by state media to discredit Falun Gong.

Witnesses reported that the consulate employee aggressively pulled down the banner before making a hasty retreat into the consulate. Practitioner Liu Chuanyu, who was present during the incident, quickly followed the man and alerted the Los Angeles Police Department. Although officers entered the consulate to investigate, they were unable to locate the employee. However, police confirmed that consulate staff recognized him and issued a warning against further interference with the practitioners’ property, stating that future incidents would be treated as criminal offenses.

The incident is not an isolated one. Falun Gong practitioners have faced ongoing harassment, including vandalism of their banners and aggressive confrontations from pro-CCP individuals. In June, a video surfaced showing a woman shouting in Mandarin and nearly attacking practitioners outside the consulate. Just weeks ago, another incident occurred at Santa Monica Pier, where a woman disrupted their activities by grabbing flyers and throwing them to the ground.

Despite the intimidation, practitioners remain undeterred. Yang, a survivor of detention in China, expressed his commitment to speaking out. "In China, people risk their lives to speak the truth. Now in the U.S., I have the freedom to do so, and I will," he stated.

As tensions continue to escalate, the Falun Gong community in Los Angeles remains steadfast in their mission to raise awareness about the persecution they face, both at home and abroad. The recent events serve as a stark reminder of the challenges they encounter in their pursuit of freedom and justice.