LOS ANGELES, June 8, 2001 - Chinese Consulate representatives, enraged by Falun Gongs peaceful demonstrations, confronted police and pulled down Falun Gong appeal banners across the street from the consulate building Friday (June 1), as Falun Gong sympathizers and the public looked on.

Police quickly restored order and allowed Falun Gong practitioners and supporters to continue their appeal, which was permitted by the city of Los Angeles and took place on public property.

Twenty Falun Gong practitioners had gathered in front of the Los Angeles Chinese Consulate as they joined the global appeal to call for the release of thousands of practitioners forcibly detained and abused in Chinese labor camps. Fridays appeal sought to call attention especially to the illegal imprisonment of U.S., Canadian, Japanese, Irish and Hong Kong residents whose conditions remain uncertain.

Government-sponsored violence against Falun Gong practitioners has continued to escalate in recent months as Chinese leaders continue to wage efforts to eliminate the practice. Since 1992, Falun Gong has gained popularity in China for its reported health benefits and spiritual teachings. In July 1999, Chinese President Jiang Zemin withdrew support for Falun Gong, declared the practice illegal and spearheaded a campaign of violent suppression.

Human rights groups report that tens of thousands of Chinese citizens have been arrested, with many being subjected to arbitrary incarceration in labor camps or mental hospitals. As many as 216 practitioners in China have reportedly been killed as a result of police violence and abuse while in detention.

This is not the first time that consulate representatives have lashed out against the practice of Falun Gong in Los Angeles. In mid-February, the Consul General sent a letter to the general manager of the Pasadena Civic Auditorium demanding that the venue cancel a scheduled Falun Gong conference. The auditorium turned down the Consul Generals request.

Lisa Li, a practitioner from Los Angeles describes, "After the Los Angeles conference in February, Los Angeles practitioners started to appeal to the Chinese Consulate every day. In the beginning of March, the Chinese Consulate planted some bushes inside and circling around the two pieces of grass area right in front of the Chinese Consulate building so that we could not gather there anymore. We had to move to the third piece of grass areas on the side of building."

Ms. Li continues, "Most of us quietly practiced Falun Gong on the grass area on the side of the Chinese consulate. Only a few of us distributed flyers to passersby or talked to people who were interested. Then, all of a sudden, a few people from the consulate came out and started to swear at us demanding that we move away the two banners right in front of the Chinese Consulate building. We refused, and then one of them took out banners and wood-sticks and threw them onto the ground."

After arguing with police for several minutes, the three consulate workers returned inside. Falun Gong practitioners resumed their silent appeal and raised their banners. One banner written in Chinese reads, "Stop Persecuting Falun Gong."

FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT THE FALUN DAFA INFORMATION CENTER- Contacts: Sherry Zhang 510-486-6815, Allen Zeng 408-206-3019, or Alicia Zhao 650-544-3789. Email: [email protected], Website: http://www.faluninfo.net/