(Minghui.org) Over 2,000 Falun Dafa practitioners gathered in Manhattan’s Chinatown on the afternoon of July 15, 2023. They held a grand parade, commemorated fellow practitioners persecuted to death due to the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) 24-year-long persecution of Falun Dafa, and celebrated the 415 million Chinese people who have quit the CCP and its affiliated organizations. 

Over 2,000 Falun Dafa practitioners held a grand parade in New York on July 15, 2023 to raise awareness of the CCP’s ongoing persecution and urged people to renounce their membership in the Chinese Communist Party.

The parade’s procession was divided into three sections. It stretched for several streets, and attracted the attention of many tourists and locals.

Rong Yi, President of the Global Service Center for Quitting the CCP, said, “The persecution has been going on for 24 years. Not only have practitioners not wavered in their faith, but the truth of Falun Dafa has spread worldwide and many are starting to practice and welcome Falun Dafa.”

The first section was themed “Falun Dafa is good.” The Tian Guo Marching Band led the parade and performed pieces such as “Falun Dafa is good,” “Sacred Song” and “Triumph.” It was then followed by giant replicas of Falun Dafa’s main book Zhuan Falun in both English and Chinese. Practitioners demonstrated the slow, gentle Falun Dafa exercises and the procession also included banners and flag teams. 

The second section was themed “Stop The Persecution of Falun Dafa.” Banners described the CCP’s brutal persecution of Falun Dafa over the past 24 years. Even within the last 6 months, over 120 Falun Dafa practitioners in China have lost their lives to the persecution. 

The third section was themed, “Supporting 415 Million Brave Chinese Who Have Renounced the CCP and Its Affiliated Organizations.” The large scale parade attracted many locals, business owners, tourists and onlookers who praised Falun Dafa and took pictures and videos with their cellphones. 

Chinese Tourist: “Falun Dafa is the pride of the Chinese people”

Mr. Wang Yi (pseudonym) came to the United States three months ago. He encountered Falun Dafa practitioners for the first time and said he knows that Falun Dafa is good and that Dafa’s principles of Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance is good. Mr. Wang’s grandmother once practiced Falun Dafa. Due to the propaganda and lies spread by the CCP, Mr. Wang thought that Falun Dafa was no longer practiced by anyone. He was very emotional and excited when he saw practitioners and said, “I want to participate in the parade too!”

Ms. Huang, a Chinese tourist, said, “I am shocked to see this parade. You cannot see this in China. This parade signifies freedom in the United States. I am very emotional seeing so many Chinese people overseas. I feel very close to them. Falun Dafa is the pride of the Chinese people.”

Recent Chinese Immigrant: “The number of Chinese people who withdraw from the CCP will increase.”

Rona recently immigrated from China and heard about the grand parade from the Global Service Center for Quitting the CCP in Flushing, New York. She withdrew from the CCP and its affiliated organizations after learning the truth about Falun Dafa and came to watch the parade.

Rona said, “I am very excited and amazed. This is what Falun Dafa practitioners should do. This grand parade should be happening in China and Chinese people should have freedom like this. The number of Chinese people who will withdraw from the CCP will only increase as days pass. Practitioners will become stronger.”

Chinese Immigrant: “Falun Dafa practitioners are true Chinese patriots”

Ms. Lin who immigrated from China 30 years ago, watched the parade with her daughter. She said, “The parade is spectacular. It reflects Chinese civilization. I like the banner that says, ‘Humanity's Only Hope Is To Improve Morality.’ Human morals are very important and the morals in China nowadays are declining rapidly.”

She kept praising practitioners. “Practitioners are a group of brave souls,” Ms. Lin said. “They are defending their basic rights. Falun Dafa practitioners are true Chinese patriots. They truly love their country. I give my respect to Falun Dafa. I hope Chinese people will some day be free due to practitioners’ persistence and bravery.” 

Ms. Lin said that she has never participated in any pro-CCP group activities. “I have been living in the United States for over 30 years. I do not understand why a group of people, who have traveled far and wide to the land of the free, still wish to be controlled by the CCP. I really do not understand. I have never participated in any pro-CCP activities.”

She praised practitioners for their talent and said, “Some say that I am a Falun Dafa practitioner, but I am not. I do not have the amazing talents practitioners do.” Her daughter chimed in, “It would be great if we became Falun Dafa practitioners.”

Public Hopes the Persecution Ends Soon 

Marissa Gonzalez, who watched the parade, said, “I think the CCP’s persecution of Falun Dafa is terrible. Human rights are very important. Persecution anywhere in the world is horrible.”

Paul, another parade spectator, said, “The parade is spectacular. It is a group of amazing people full of vitality. It is great! I am happy that they can express themselves here in this parade. It is sad to see that this cannot be done in their home country. This is tragic. This is terrible.”

Mr. Lin Te Quan, an IT engineer from Malaysia, video recorded Falun Dafa practitioners. He was very happy and said that he liked Falun Dafa. He said he would watch the entire parade and brought his mother to enjoy it.

Giada Giordano supports Falun Dafa practitioners in ending the persecution. 

Giada Giordano had an eye appointment in Chinatown the day of the parade. One of her friends practices Buddhism, so she was very excited to receive the truth-clarification booklet about Falun Dafa. She said she’d learn more about it when she got home. She also signed the petition calling for an end to the persecution after learning about the ongoing suppression in China. 

Marianne and her son and daughter from Norway

Marianne from Norway was visiting New York with her son and daughter. They watched the practitioners’ parade and said they were grateful for practitioners’ persistence and hard work in spreading the truth about the persecution of Falun Dafa. Marianne added that she hopes that the persecution will end soon. 

Kerry (second on right), from Texas, and his friends voiced their support for practitioners. 

Kerry from Texas was visiting New York with his friends. He said, “We stand by you. We support you in ending the persecution.”

A tour guide also introduced Falun Dafa to his tourists and said, “I know a little about Falun Dafa. I hope I will learn more about the practice and I support practitioners.”