(Minghui.org) April 25, 2023 marks the 24^th anniversary of the peaceful protest by 10,000 Falun Dafa practitioners in Beijing in 1999. To commemorate the occasion, practitioners in Hong Kong held several activities, raising banners with the message: “Uphold the principles of Truthfulness, Compassion, Forbearance.” Practitioners who participated in the activities said that the April 25 Appeal shows an unwavering sense of justice and conscience. Holding such events to commemorate the historic event on the island located next to mainland China is particularly crucial in exposing the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) lies.

Practitioners in Hong Kong hold several activities to commemorate the April 25 Appeal.

The April 25 protest started with the arrest of practitioners in Tianjin. On April 11, 1999, He Zuoxiu, the brother-in-law of Luo Gan, the secretary of the Politics and Law Committee of the CCP Central Committee published an article in which he made groundless claims in order to undermine Falun Dafa (also known as Falun Gong). A few days later, practitioners in Tianjin went to clarify the facts to the government. Over 300 riot police were dispatched to beat up practitioners and drive them away. Forty five were illegally arrested. The Tianjin government told practitioners to go to Beijing if they wanted the issue resolved.

On April 25, over 10,000 practitioners gathered at the State Council’s Appeals Office next to the CCP headquarters to ask for the release of those detained in Tianjin and to allow Falun Gong books to be published. Zhu Rongji, who was premier at that time, came out and spoke with several practitioner representatives. He agreed to their requests and the arrested practitioners were released that night. The practitioners quietly left. The entire protest was peaceful and orderly.

April 25 Appeal Follows the Principles of Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance

Alice began practicing Falun Gong in 1998. On April 25, 1999, she heard that practitioners intended to go to Beijing to call for the release of practitioners arrested by Tianjin police. So, together with several practitioners from her practice site, they set off for Beijing. They arrived on the 26th and learned that the issue had been resolved.

Alice said the April 25 incident shows how peaceful and kind practitioners are. “In dealing with unjust treatment and suppression, practitioners kindly approached the government departments to clarify the facts.”

Alice said that although premier Zhu Rongji accepted practitioners’ requests, afterwards, there were increasing disruptions at practice sites. Former CCP head Jiang Zemin accused practitioners of surrounding the CCP headquarters and used this as an excuse to escalate the persecution. This was a reflection of the CCP’s evil nature.

Raising Awareness

Mr. Hong began to practice Falun Gong in 1998. He takes part in activities to commemorate the April 25 appeal every year. He said that practitioners’ peaceful appeals show their noble character and inspire people to be kind.

Mr. Hong participates in activities to commemorate the April 25 appeal every year.

He thinks it is important for Hong Kong residents to remember the April 25 Appeal because Hong Kong is close to mainland China, where many people continue to be misled by the CCP’s lies that demonize Falun Dafa. “Our activities show people the truth of how peaceful practitioners are and expose the CCP’s lies.”

He also said that through over two decades of constantly clarifying the truth about the persecution, more and more people support Falun Gong. “In the beginning, people were hostile to us, as they accepted whatever the CCP said. We were often censured. Some people even tore our fliers into pieces in front of us. Now their attitudes have changed.”

The April 25 Appeal Inspires Her to Practice Falun Dafa

Mrs. Tan began practicing in October 1999 and said she heard about Falun Dafa through reports about the April 25 protest. Through her personal experience, she knows that the CCP always persecute good people, “When I was young and living in China, my father was labeled a rightist when he started a business. Every time there was a political campaign, he was criticized, and I knew that those oppressed by the CCP were actually good people.”

Mrs. Tan talks to tourists from China and helps them quit the CCP.

Mrs. Tan said she attends activities to commemorate the April 25 protest every year. She hopes to expose the CCP’s lies and let people know that practitioners have no intention of overthrowing the Party. They only went to the CCP headquarters to clarify the facts about Falun Dafa to the government and ask for the right to practice freely.

Mrs. Tan also frequently talks to tourists from China and encourages them to withdraw from the CCP and its affiliated organizations.

She said, “The CCP’s political campaigns have destroyed China’s traditional culture. The regime has done many bad deeds including organ harvesting. Therefore people should withdraw from it because they once vowed to give their lives for communism. Elderly people in China know that if one makes a vow, they will give their life to it.”

This year, since the borders between China and Hong Kong reopened, she often goes to places popular with tourists. She felt that many Chinese people get a clear understanding of the evil nature of the CCP and agree to quit after she briefly explains things to them. “Some even say you are right and bow to show their respect while others give a thumbs-up.”

Calling on People to Learn the Truth About the April 25 Protest

Mrs. Wu began practicing Falun Dafa in 1998. When she heard practitioners in Tianjin were arrested, she wanted to go to Beijing but could not go, as she had to take care of her young child.

In the years following, she participates in activities such as parades and rallies to commemorate the appeal. She described it as a page in history, “Under the CCP’s totalitarian rule, ordinary citizens have no place to seek redress for their grievances. They risk imprisonment for making appeals. Yet practitioners in China were not afraid to go to Beijing to appeal.”

Twenty fours years later, the CCP continues to persecute practitioners. Practitioners continue to tell people the facts and ask for help in ending the brutalities. Mrs. Wu said, “Jiang Zemin said he would take down Falun Dafa in three months. Instead, Falun Dafa spread across the world and practitioners’ perseverance has won people’s admiration.”

She hopes those who don’t know the facts about the April 25 protest will seek out the truth and appreciate practitioners’ peaceful efforts in resisting the injustice.