No Kwai-yan 09/04/2001

Falun Gong followers say they were prevented from holding talks yesterday with the organisers of an anti-cult exhibition which they claim has smeared the spiritual group's reputation.

About 10 members tried to meet organisers and hand them a petition. The exhibition, which ends today, is being staged in the China Resources Building, Wan Chai, by the pro-Beijing Wen Wei Po newspaper and other patriotic groups.

Falun Gong representative Lu Jie said five members wearing the [group]'s trademark yellow T-shirts were stopped by security guards outside the building. They were allowed in to see the exhibition but not to hand over petitions.

The rest, dressed in plain clothes, were later refused entry to the exhibition hall and told no one would receive their petition or discuss the matter with them. The followers left peacefully after one was carried out of the exhibition hall by security guards.

[...]

Ms Lu said that the organisers wanted to vilify the group. "Most [of what's] in the exhibition is false. They quote Li Hongzhi [the group's founder] out of context. They distort the truth and have ulterior motives."