Police escort Liang Guanjun out of the Fifth Precinct on June 26 in New York City

(Clearwisdom.net) Around 11PM on June 25, 2003, Liang Guanjun, chairman of the Unified Organization of Overseas Chinese Associations of New York, was arrested and taken into custody for allegedly directing and participating in an assault against Falun Gong practitioners. After being fingerprinted, Liang Guanjun was released shortly before 2AM on June 26.

The assault occurred on June 23 outside the Yidong ("Palace 88") Restaurant in New York City's Chinatown. While Liang Guanjun and others were hosting a banquet in the restaurant for Wang Yingfan, the departing UN ambassador from China, Falun Gong practitioners were distributing truth-clarifying literature and materials to passersby outside the restaurant, in hopes that high-level Chinese officials could forward Falun Gong practitioners' requests to the Chinese government to stop persecuting Falun Gong. The practitioners were cursed, surrounded and assaulted by a gang led by Liang Guanjun.

The attorney representing Falun Gong practitioners pointed out that although Liang Guanjun attempted to avoid responsibility with his position in Chinatown, in the face of United States law, he couldn't escape.

Falun Gong practitioners Mr. Li Jun and Mr. Zhu Weiyong and others who were assaulted went to the local police precinct on June 25 to describe in detail the process of being surrounded and assaulted by a group of people led by Liang Guanjun on June 23. They also showed their injuries and other evidence to the police.

At 1:50 a.m. on June 26, when a police officer escorted Liang Guanjun out of the police precinct, Liang was still cursing loudly.

Ms. Terri Marsh, an attorney representing Falun Gong practitioners, learned through police officer Mr. Gregory Kelly of the Fifth Police Precinct that Liang was arrested on assault charges. The case is under investigation.

It was reported that Liang Guanjun was arrested for participating in the assault on Mr. Li Jun. Liang was also suspected of directing the assault against Falun Gong practitioners through his position as Chairman of the Chinese Associations. In this incident, other than Mr. Li Jun, several other practitioners were also subjected to Liang's attacks and threats.

According to Ms. Marsh, more arrests are forthcoming. Most of the assailants are members of Chinese Associations that are closely associated with the Chinese government. The Chinese government openly claims the intention to attack Falun Gong, not merely in China, but throughout the free world as well. Consistent with China's genocidal policy towards Falun Gong, the Chinese government has, through it's consulates, recruited special agents in America to instigate hatred, harass, defame and violate the human rights of Falun Gong practitioners.

It is reported that unlike other cases in which the participants' connections to the Chinese authorities was hard to verify, in this assault, Liang Guanjun's association with the Chinese government is obvious.

Mr. Zhou Shiyu, a volunteer spokesperson of the Falun Dafa Information Center said that since the persecution of Falun Gong practitioners in China began in 1999, the gang of Liang Guanjun, under the orders of Jiang's regime, has been continuously harassing Falun Gong practitioners overseas, making trouble, and instigating overseas Chinese people's hatred toward Falun Gong. The gang's bold assault on June 23 was just a glimpse of the Jiang regime's persecution of Falun Gong practitioners.

Mr. Zhou Shiyu said that shortly before 10:00 p.m. on June 23, a woman, followed by other diplomats, emerged from the restaurant. Noticing Falun Gong practitioners outside, the woman said something to the people gathered around her, and then climbed into a Black Mercedes-Benz bearing the license plate 00l CY and drove away. After that, Liang Guanjun confronted Falun Gong practitioners, threatening, "I'm going to beat you to death. I'll beat whoever is a Falun Gong practitioner."

Mr. Zhou Shiyu said, "This is New York City's Chinatown, not Beijing's Tiananmen Square. We have reported the incident to the police department, and will take appropriate legal action against these people and the manipulators behind them."

In September 2001, a similar case of violence against Falun Gong practitioners occurred in Chicago. On June 23, 2002, Chicago police arrested assailants Zheng Jiming and others. The two assailants pleaded guilty in that case.

On the evening of June 23, Liang Guanjun and Hua Junxiong converse outside Yidong Restaurant	Liang Guanjun and Hua Junxiong direct the assault on Falun Gong practitioners	Hua Junxiong cursing Falun Gong practitioners on the evening of June 23

Falun Gong practitioner Mr. Li Jun with a swollen black eye	Falun Gong practitioner Mr. Li Jun's torn clothing

Early on the morning of June 26, the police escort Liang Guanjun out of the Fifth Precinct