(Minghui.org) “No matter their age, regardless of rain or wind, heat or cold, they have been here for 15 years. It is incredible!” said Mr. Tang Hanlong, president of the Falun Dafa Association in France, commending Falun Gong practitioners who have peacefully protested in front of the Chinese Embassy in Paris. Mr. Tang was speaking at a July 17 rally across from the Chinese Embassy marking the 15^th anniversary of Falun Gong practitioners' peaceful resistance to the Chinese Communist Party's (CCP) brutal persecution.

During the rally practitioners demonstrated the exercises and held up banners. They also displayed informational poster boards, played audio recordings and collected signatures from the public to call for an end to the persecution in China.

Falun Gong practitioners hold portraits of fellow practitioners who died as a result of the persecution in China.

Falun Gong practitioners' banners and poster boards

Mr. Tang Hanlong, president of the Falun Dafa Association in France, speaks at the rally.

People sign the petition against the persecution.

Passers-by learn about Falun Gong.

Passers-by sign a petition to support Falun Gong

Mr. Hu Taozhen, director of the French edition of The Epoch Times, gives a speech at the rally.

Mr. Tang Hanlong said in his address, “On July 20, 1999, the Chinese Communist Party initiated the brutal persecution of Falun Gong. It has adopted a policy of genocide to eradicate Falun Gong. Yet, 15 years have passed. Falun Gong has since spread to more than 100 countries. More and more people have come to know the truth. We are here today to hold a rally to protest the ongoing persecution.”

Mr. Hu Taozhen, director of the French edition of The Epoch Times, gave a speech at the rally. He stated, “Since the publication of the Nine Commentaries on the Communist Party by The Epoch Times in 2004, a great wave of quitting the CCP and its affiliated organizations has started. Many people have renounced the Party. So far, more than 170 million Chinese people have quit the Party and its affiliated organizations.” Mr. Hu also advised the embassy officials to make a good choice and to not follow the CCP's persecution policies.

Ms. Gassie Christel, spokeswoman for the Falun Dafa Association, started practicing Falun Gong in 1998. She said, “Falun Gong's principle is Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance. People who practice this should be protected and respected. But in China, they are persecuted. Falun Gong practitioners in China are courageous, as they continue to help Chinese people learn the facts about Falun Gong and the nature of the CCP while facing torture, death or the danger of forced live organ harvesting.”

Ms. Christel said that she and other French practitioners have requested French government officials to learn about Falun Gong and encouraged them to make the right choice, based on human rights, when faced with the CCP's interests and temptations [to discriminate against Falun Gong].

Falun Gong practitioners from Finland also participated in the rally. They have been busy clarifying the truth to Chinese tourists in Paris over the past month. Ms. Liu said, “I came her to help Chinese tourists to know the truth and promote withdrawals from the CCP and its affiliated organizations.” She shared examples of Chinese tourists quitting the Party.

Ms. Liu recalled her experience in China, where she was severely persecuted: “I was kidnapped nine times and survived many tortures in China. My four family members died in the persecution. One practitioner who was imprisoned with me died of torture.” She shed tears during her speech. Ms. Liu said she hoped that the rally would enable embassy officials to understand the truth.