Hong Kong iMail: [Group]'s park challenge

14 May 2001 / 04:16 AM THE Falun Gong [...], announced yesterday it would conduct weekly ''spiritual exercises'' in Kowloon Park. The announcement comes just days after the group, branded an ''[Chinese government's slanderous term omitted]'' by the government, held mass rallies in protest against President Jiang Zemin's visit to the Fortune Global Forum. The first of the high-profile exercise sessions will be held at a playground in the park, next to the public swimming pools, between 6.30pm and 8.30pm on Wednesday. The Leisure and Cultural Services Department, which runs the park, is unable to ban the activity because the group is not renting the venue. The decision to hold weekly public exercise sessions in the heart of the tourist district comes despite warnings of a possible crackdown by senior members of the administration, including Chief Executive Tung Chee-hwa. Kan Hung-cheung, a spokesman for the [group], denied the group was seeking to challenge the government, saying the move was prompted by calls from people who ''want to join the exercises''. ''As more people are willing to go outside to exercise, we plan to change locations and times to meet their needs,'' he said. The [group] had decided not to notify police of their gathering at Kowloon Park because Mr Kan estimated numbers would not exceed 50. The Public Order Ordinance requires that police be given seven days' notice for gatherings of more than 50 people. Mr Kan was speaking after a mass exercise and rally in Tsim Sha Tsui yesterday to celebrate the ninth Anniversary of World Falun Dafa Day. May 13 is the day the [group]'s spiritual leader Li Hongzhi introduced Falun Dafa to the mainland. The celebrations, which were expected to attract about 150 people, drew more than 300 members. ''I think more people are willing to go out and practice as they learn about the persecution of the Falun Dafa in the mainland,'' Mr Kan said. A few people expressed concern yesterday over the [group]'s plans. [...] But tai chi practitioner Stephen Sung Pak-man disagreed. ''About 200 people practise tai chi in Sha Tin Central Park every week. Falun Gong has the right to practise because of religious freedom,'' he said.