(Minghui.org) “We did not expect such a nonviolent protest could be so powerful. It showed us indeed a very peaceful and calm environment,” remarked an Israeli couple when they saw a peaceful event held by Falun Gong practitioners on August 30 in Vienna, Austria. The couple said they had participated in various anti-war and anti-violence activities in Israel, and intended to learn something from Falun Dafa to help end the war peacefully.

Exercise demonstration by European Falun Dafa practitioners on August 30 at the Stephansplatz in Vienna, Austria

Group exercise by practitioners on August 31

Performance by the European Tian Guo Marching Band

Waist drum performance

Exercise demonstration by practitioners

Displaying posters and banners

Practitioners from over 10 European countries gathered at Stephansplatz in Vienna, the capital of Austria, on August 30 and 31 for peaceful events introducing Falun Dafa to passersby. They also exposed the cruel persecution perpetrated by the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) regime.

The beautiful exercise music, peaceful scene, and energetic Tian Guo Marching Band performance drew many people.

Pedestrians learn about Falun Dafa.

People signed petitions calling for an end to the persecution in China.

Yakov Dolgoplsky (husband) and Shasan (wife) learn the Falun Dafa exercises together with their two children.

Yakov Dolgoplsky and Shasan, husband and wife from Israel, walked past the activities with their children. Curious about the exercise demonstration and speeches, they talked with a practitioner, and both of them signed the petitions. They said that they liked Falun Dafa very much and began to learn the exercises.

Yakov is a biblical scholar and Shasan is an education researcher. They had attended many anti-war and anti-violence events in Israel. Saddened by the situation in Israel, they hoped to find fundamental solutions for Israeli problems that could help ease their pain. They said that there were lots of good people in the world and they were seeking help. But they did not think of such a peaceful protest.

Shasan said she was impressed by the group exercise and speeches. “I do not speak German, so I could not understand the speeches. But from the way how the speaker talked, I somehow could understand the message,” she explained. “It is a peaceful tone and open mind, with a voice calling us to come closer.”

They had been told about Falun Dafa a little bit in the past. Shasan said she did not know the practice was so powerful and her husband felt the same way.

Shasan said the protest they saw today was very different from the ones she had participated in the past. Upon being told about the principles of Truthfulness, Compassion, and Forbearance, the couple agreed. “I hope more people could follow this in both their personal life and in public,” Yakov continued.

Appalled by the brutal suppression perpetrated by the Chinese regime, especially the forced organ harvesting, they both signed petitions to end the persecution in China. Yakov said organ harvesting was horrible. It was slaughter and the viciousness was beyond words. “I think signing the petitions is the right thing to do. We must stop the atrocities and stop the political persecution, because we need peace,” he explained.

The couple and their two children then learned the exercises together, which made all of them very happy. Upon leaving, the couple wished practitioners well, and said they would look into the principles of Truthfulness, Compassion, and Forbearance further after returning home.