MEDIA ALERT: FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - 7/6/2001
NEW YORK - JULY 5, 2001 - A press conference is to be held by people who practice and support Falun Gong, on Saturday, July 7th, at the Chinese Consulate, 42nd Street and 12th Ave, to continue a historic 400-mile "SOS! Urgent: Rescue the Falun Gong Practitioners Persecuted in China" walk from Boston to Washington, D.C. The month-long trek seeks to rescue those persons imprisoned in China following the [party name omitted] regime's July 20, 1999, crackdown on Falun Gong.
China's government has engaged in the brutal suppression of millions of people who practice Falun Gong, a traditional Chinese qigong practice similar in form to Tai-chi. Falun Gong is practiced peacefully worldwide, yet China's regime violently suppresses this freedom of expression. To date, at least 250 Falun Gong people have been killed in police custody, with 25 new deaths reported in the last month alone.
Walkers will gather at Rockefeller Center near the ice rink at 10:30 AM, walk down 5th Ave. and then West on 42nd St. until reaching the Chinese Consulate at 12th Ave. for a press conference at 11:30 AM. Following the conference, walkers will proceed to Edison, N.J., to join the New York walk team before continuing on to Washington, D.C. Thousands of supporters are expected to join en route. The walk will culminate in Washington on Thursday, July 19, in a mass march from the Washington Monument to the Capitol, where a large rally will be held. The journey symbolizes the courageous, determined efforts of thousands who have demonstrated in China, and is an appeal for the immediate release of all in China who are jailed and imperiled for their practice of Falun Gong.
The press conference will include statements from Falun Gong practitioners and walkers who have arrived from Boston on their journey to DC. The team of five walkers includes a high school student who will speak about his motivation for the walk to DC. Interviews available.
WHEN: Saturday, July 7th, 2001, 11:30 AM
WHERE: Chinese consulate, 42nd St. at 12th Ave.
WHO: Falun Gong supporters and practitioners, five who have walked from Boston to New York on their journey to Washington, D.C.
CONTACT: Adam Montanaro 917-405-4507
Falun Gong (also called Falun Dafa) is an ancient form of qigong, the practice of refining the body and mind through special exercises and meditation. In just nine years since its public introduction, Falun Dafa has grown to become the most popular form of qigong ever in Chinese history. Since being introduced to the general public in 1992, Falun Dafa has attracted tens of millions of people in more than 40 countries. Most major cities and universities in the United States, Canada, Australia, and Europe have English-speaking Falun Dafa practice groups.
Category: Rallies & Protests
