In Hong Kong, followers of the spiritual practice Falun Gong say they’ve been under attack in recent weeks. Their protest sites against the CCP’s persecution have been repeatedly damaged by unidentified persons.
For 20 years, adherents of the spiritual practice Falun Gong have taken to the streets to expose China’s persecution of followers through information stands, among other means.
On Dec. 19, a man in his late 50s to 60s, ripped the banners and display boards at one of the Falun Gong stands. When practitioners there asked him why, he didn’t say a word, and ran away in a hurry.
Around six people took pictures of his sabotage on their mobile phones. One of those there had seen a similar attack on a stand the weekend before.
On Dec. 20, a man, suspected to be the same person, went to some other protest stands and committed the same acts of vandalism.
Falun Gong practitioners called the police. The police investigated and retrieved display boards that were thrown in the water from the day before.
Mr. Zeng, a Falun Gong practitioner in Hong Kong, told NTD News, “they often come to our stand to take pictures and interfere with us. We try to maintain peace of mind and continue telling citizens about the true situation of the persecution. We hope more people will know the truth.”
Later, a pro-Beijing group, Xiangjiang Concentric Association, uploaded a video on its social media, showing the man splashing paint on the display boards at one of the stands.
The incident aroused public outrage. People passing by condemned the Chinese Communist Party’s persecution of Falun Gong practitioners. They said they believe the CCP’s suppression of beliefs is counterproductive.
“However the CCP has tried to suppress them, they’ve insisted on saying: we have freedom of religious belief—this spirit is worthy of admiration!” stated Kwok Cheuk-kin, a Hong Kong citizen.
Bruce Lam, a Hong Kong media host, told NTD News, “the more they do damage to the stands, the more attention Falun Gong gets. The public might not care so much about it before, but they will pay attention now. Their actions backfire.”
Hong Kong’s Falun Gong practitioners appealed to the police to arrest the perpetrators. They also appealed to the public to safeguard Hong Kong’s freedom of speech.
Falun Gong is a traditional spiritual practice, originated from China. The group has been persecuted in China since 1999. The CCP’s propaganda swept the nation into a frenzy, denouncing the practice and its followers.
After Beijing imposed the new National Security Law on Hong Kong this summer, the question as to whether Falun Gong practitioners can still have their stands on the street has attracted more attention than ever.
