(Minghui.org) Falun Gong practitioners and supporters held a rally on Clarence Square in downtown Toronto on July 20, 2013, to expose the Chinese Communist Party's (CCP) brutal persecution of Falun Gong launched fourteen year ago. During the event, they called for the people to see clearly the nature of the CCP and work together to end the persecution. Following the rally was a large scale march that passed through the city center and Chinatown. Practitioners held a candlelight vigil in front of the Chinese Consulate at 8 p.m. to commemorate their fellow practitioners in China who died in the persecution.

Falun Gong practitioners in Toronto do the exercises on Clarence Square on July 20, 2013.

Falun Gong Hasn't Been “Eradicated,” But Grows Stronger

Since the former Communist dictator Jiang Zemin vowed to “eradicate” Falun Gong 14 years ago, innocent Falun Gong practitioners have been thrown into brainwashing centers, forced labor camps and prisons. The Communist regime tortured them with more than one hundred methods, attempting to force them to give up their belief. Countless practitioners lost their lives in the persecution. Mounting evidence has revealed that CCP has been behind the harvesting of organs from living practitioners for profit. However, as the spokesperson of Falun Dafa Association in Canada Joel Chipkar pointed out in his speech at the rally, the CCP's attempt to destroy Falun Gong turned out to be a complete failure. Practitioners continue to stand up for their belief and to expose the genocidal persecution in China. The United Nations, many human right organizations and governments have condemned the persecution.

Falun Gong practitioners in Toronto hold rally on Clarence Square

Mr. Hong Shizhong, President of the Chinese American Association of Metro Toronto, said he firmly believes Falun Gong will prevail

March for Falun Gong passes through Toronto's Chinatown

Re-enactment of the CCP's crime of organ harvesting from Falun Gong practitioners

Facts of Persecution Can Not Be Covered Up

Despite the CCP attempts to cover up the persecution, more and more people have come to know the truth.

Mr. Chen from Guangdong Province and his friends attended the rally. He said, “I know many Falun Gong practitioners in Guangdong lost their jobs, were thrown into labor camps or killed. I think Falun Gong did nothing wrong. The persecution should stop immediately.”

Falun Gong practitioners and supporters hold large scale march in Toronto.

Mr. Li from Northeast China and Mrs. Wu from Fujian Province attended the rally last year and quit the CCP organizations. They came again this year to show their support. Mr. Li said, “The CCP's lies have been exposed one by one. The truth about the persecution can't be covered up. Falun Gong hasn't been eliminated. On the contrary, more and more people learned the facts about Falun Gong and the persecution.”

Ms. Phuong and her sister, both new to the practice, at the rally

Ms. Phuong, a resident of Toronto, said she went to visit her family in Vietnam last Christmas and all her family members had begun practicing Falun Gong. After she came back to Toronto, she read the book Zhuan Falun online and felt so fortunate to have found the spiritual path she had been looking for. She then started learning the Falun Gong exercises and saw immediate health improvement. Her sister learned the practice from her. They said they felt honored to be a part of the events to raise awareness about Falun Gong.

Annette (right) and her colleague watch the Falun Gong march

Annette, an employee of Bell Canada, watched the parade during her lunch hour and was moved to tears by the pictures of the persecution victims. She expressed her sympathy and support for Falun Gong practitioners and planned to tell her colleagues about it.

Chinese students talk with a Falun Gong practitioner to learn more

Mr. Zhu and Mr. Ding are Chinese students from Xi'an and Neimenggu. Mr. Ding said he knew the self-immolation on Tiananmen Square was staged by the Chinese government. Seeing such ruthless persecution of innocent people by the Communist regime led him to believe that the regime would soon lose power. Mr. Zhu said, “It's sad for the Chinese people that the CCP has been ruling China for the past half-century. The only way China would have any hope is when the CCP collapses.” After learning more about the regime's persecution of Falun Gong, both students felt it was the right thing to do to renounce their memberships to the Communist Young Pioneers.