(Clearwisdom.net) The head of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) Hu Jintao and the delegation arrived in Ottawa on the evening of June 23, 2010. Falun Gong practitioners unfurled banners stating "Stop the Persecution of Falun Gong" and "Bring Jiang, Luo, Liu and Zhou to Justice"across the street from the hotel he is staying at, the Westin Ottawa.
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Falun Gong banners across the street from Hu's hotel |
| Falun Gong practitioners call out for an end to the persecution |
In order to make sure Hu will see clearly the banners, practitioners set them up the day before Hu's arrival and kept them up all night.
Practitioner Zhou Limin said, "Around two o'clock in the morning on June 23, more than two hundred Chinese suddenly appeared with red flags in hand. They tried to cover our banners with their flags, but they were stopped by the police."
Mr. Liu Shaohua, an official at the Chinese embassy, told a gathering of Chinese students and scholars who receive Chinese government-funded scholarships that the cost of hotels, food, travel and clothing for the more than one thousand Chinese people who will welcome Hu will be paid by the embassy. This policy was in effect for local students as well as many to be bussed in from other cities like Toronto and Montreal. The purpose of the welcoming group is to smother the voice of Falun Gong and other human right advocates. Mr. Liu's speech was recorded, so his words can be confirmed.
The welcoming group, all dressed alike and shouting the same slogans, wasn't satisfied with the size of their rally location. They continually attempted to block Falun Gong banners. The police eventually separated the two groups.
Falun Gong practitioner Grace Dai said, "The goal of the welcome rally organized by the Chinese embassy is to suppress the voice calling for an end of the persecution. Many of them are students who have received Chinese state-funded scholarships. They may not agree with the CCP, but they can't follow their own will, but have to do what the CCP regime tells them to. Many of them have been deceived by CCP propaganda and aren't able to distinguish the difference between China and the CCP.
In the past couple of weeks, Falun Gong practitioners have received 45 thousand petition signatures calling for the Canadian Prime Minister to raise the persecution of Falun Gong with Hu, and to demand the release of imprisoned Falun Gong practitioners, including twelve family members of Canadian citizens. This is the will of the Canadian people."
Practitioners took every opportunity to clarify the true story of Falun Gong to those in the welcome rally. Practitioner Mr. Zhen Zhi met a new immigrant family. He said, "They didn't really mean to come here to welcome Hu. They simply didn't want to give up an opportunity of a free tour to Ottawa." Mr. Zhen told them the true story of Falun Gong. They were very touched.
Ms. Shi from Ottawa said, "Many students have been deceived by the Chinese Embassy. They didn't know much about the persecution of Falun Gong. I talked to them. Many of them have changed their attitude toward Falun Gong. Some have quit the Youth League and the Young Pioneers."
An earthquake, something virtually unheard of in this part of the world, shook Ottawa at 1:40 p.m., about five hours before Hu's arrival. As Hu arrived, the nice day changed. It suddenly became cloudy and windy. It started pouring after Hu landed.
The welcome rally disappears after the rain.
Around 7:30 in the evening, the pouring rain dispersed the thousand-people welcome rally, who left their red flags behind. However, Falun Gong practitioners stayed in front of the Westin Hotel and quietly did their exercises. They plan to display banners and have their voice heard at every place Hu will stop during his three-day visit to Ottawa. They hope the Canadian Prime Minister will urge Hu to stop the persecution.
