09/06/2002

(Clearwisdom.net) Falun Gong spiritual movement [interrupted] a television signal and broadcast protest videos on the outskirts of Beijing last month, police and television station employees said yesterday.

The footage, [...] was briefly shown on the nights of 23 and 27 August in Baoding, southwest of the capital, a woman who answered the phone at a television station there said.

A police official in neighbouring Xushui county said he had heard of the illegal broadcasts, and at least five Falun Gong followers had been arrested.

The programming was seen at least 100km away, including the Fangshan district of Beijing, another TV station official in Xushui said. "We were ordered not to disclose the incident," said the man, who would not give his name.

There was no immediate explanation of how Falun Gong [practitioners] took over the TV signal.

Falun Gong supporters have [tapped] into cable television systems in at least four cities this year to show videos protesting against the government's three-year-old [persecution of] the group. In June, a state-run satellite television signal was [interrupted] and briefly displayed messages of support for the group.

Xinhua said yesterday the Ministry of Information had ordered a clampdown on satellite TV networks [...] but it did not mention Falun Gong by name.

[...]

A statement issued by [practitioners] abroad said last month's broadcasts showed videos documenting support for the group outside China and condemning the [persecution] and alleged police abuses. The group says authorities have killed hundreds of members in detention.