At 8:00 a.m. on April 5, 2008, the Human Rights Torch Relay arrived at Denver City Park. Hundreds of people, including many from human rights groups, participated in the walk and run. The event included a rally, music, and a candlelight vigil. Groups including Falun Gong, Tibetans, Burmese, Christians, Darfur activists, student groups, as well as concerned individuals took part.
The day prior, the State Senate and House of Representatives unanimously passed a resolution in support for the Human Rights Torch Relay campaign, declaring April as 'Human Rights Torch Relay Month." In addition, proclamations from Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper and Lakewood Mayor Bob Murphy, and a support letter from Former State Senator Frank Weddig were read during the rally.
State Representative Nancy Todd said at the rally, "The State Joint resolution passed unanimously with an amendment that this resolution be sent directly to China."
Television stations CW 2, ABC 7, and Fox 31 reported on the event. The CW 2 report mentioned the organ harvesting from living Falun Gong practitioners in China. In addition, several local newspapers came to interview the event coordinators and participants.
Twenty-one local bands performed at the event from noon to 8:00 p.m., and speakers were scheduled every hour. The speakers included representatives for Falun Gong, the Tibetan Association of Colorado, a Burmese monk, Colorado Burma Roundtable, Voice of the Martyrs, Amnesty International, Students for Sudan, Unified Vietnamese American Council, and The Epoch Times.
Essie Garrett, the 1996 Olympic Torchbearer for the State of Colorado, ran the torch run and spoke at the rally. Ms. Garrett has run over 23,000 miles, and raised over a million dollars for over 250 charities since 1981.
Many people were moved by Jane Dai and her daughter, Fadu Chen, who lost a husband and father due to the persecution of Falun Gong in China. Now eight years old, Fadu travels the world with her mother telling people about the persecution.
Pastor Heidi McGinness, who works with the Denver Chapter of Christian Solidarity International, said that she has made four trips to southern Sudan to help bring aid to recent slaves who have been freed from violence in Darfur.
Colorado's elite martial arts group, Family Martial Arts Center's Team Xtreme, performed at the event. The team unanimously decided to accept HRTR's invitation to participate. Master Natzke said, "We are honored to be a part of this humanitarian cause."
Earl Staelin, lawyer and member of Amnesty International, exposed the persecution of human rights lawyers in China and called for the release of Attorney Gao Zhisheng.
Kristina Ingham, one of the performers, said, "This is such an important event! It just touches my heart and I am glad to be part of it."
A dozen families came to see their children recognized for participating in the Art Contest for Human Rights in China. Some students drew pictures of Falun Gong children holding hands, and some created drawings of the human rights torch and the slogan ("The Olympics and crimes against humanity cannot coexist in China"). The top winner for the 1st grade class had a drawing of a child comforting another child in tears with a message saying, "I will give a voice for the voiceless."
The candlelight vigil began at 8:00 p.m. with Leadville Jim and Sara Effner singing songs in remembrance of all the Falun Gong practitioners who have died as a result of the brutal persecution by the Communist regime in China.
Category: Rallies & Protests
