(Minghui.org) “The march is large and truly beautiful! That music makes me feel very good,” said nurse Ersa. She smiled as she read a flyer about Falun Dafa with her family, “I didn’t know about Falun Dafa before, but now that I’ve seen this, I think it’s great. They are very kind.”
Ersa and other spectators watched Falun Dafa practitioners’ march in Frankfurt’s city center on August 8, 2026. They heard the music from a distance, and then saw the European Tian Guo Marching Band in blue uniforms followed by colorful flags and banners reading “Falun Dafa” and “Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance.”
Practitioners also marched the previous evening on Friday, August 7, along a different route in Frankfurt’s city center. It was the first time many people heard about Falun Dafa. They immediately started reading the flyers practitioners handed out.
Falun Dafa practitioners marched in Frankfurt on the evening of August 7 and around noon on August 8. (Minghui.org)
Solemn March
Tax consultant Shirin Sikorski agreed with Falun Dafa’s principles of Truthfulness, Compassion, and Forbearance. “These are very important principles and they should be valued by the entire world,” she said. “Because they reflect human nature and respect for every person. It is a pity that these are gradually disappearing.” She and her friend watched as practitioners gathered on Friday evening and they saw the beginning of the march on Saturday. They were excited and planned to record the march and said they were happy to learn about Falun Dafa.
“The march is beautiful and feels solemn. There’s no clamor—instead it’s very calm,” said Anne who is a teacher. She added, “It was well-planned overall. Very orderly.” This was the first time she’s heard about Falun Dafa and she said she would read the materials she received. “These practitioners are being persecuted and tortured—this is wrong, so I will sign the petition,” she said.
Irene Sahanaic, a retired airport employee, said she previously heard about Falun Dafa before and enjoyed the Tian Guo Marching Band’s music, which she described as, “Very pleasant-sounding.” “This [referring to Falun Dafa] does not hurt anyone, so why...” Her smile then disappeared as she paused for a moment. Her eyes began to well up with tears.
“Why can’t they be allowed freedom [to practice]?” She said, “It truly makes me sad to see something like this. This truly makes me feel terrible.”
Forced Organ Harvesting “Should Be Banned”
People learn about Falun Dafa. (Minghui.org)
The banners in the march also informed people about the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) atrocity of forced organ harvesting from practitioners. Achim Schemel, who operates three companies, said, “This is intolerable and unethical and should be banned. The people who do this should be imprisoned. Unfortunately, in China, this [organ harvesting] is organized by the government and is conducted as a business.”
He signed the petition to call for an end to the organ harvesting. “I support freedom, and we hope to defend freedom and rights in Germany. It is also important to prompt the German Federal Government to take a clear stance on this issue. This is also why I’m signing the petition,” he said.
“I Will Definitely Share This Information”
Janice Echebiri (left) and Emily Kessel (right) (Minghui.org)
Practitioners demonstrate the exercises at a rally after the march. (Minghui.org)
Janice Echebiri and Emily Kessel saw practitioners’ exercise demonstration after the march. “Powerful yet deeply relaxing. Very pretty,” said Emily. “It seems like it is related to energy, the body, as well as things of a spiritual nature. Very interesting.”
When they learned that practitioners follow the principles of Truthfulness, Compassion, and Forbearance, including examining themselves when they encounter conflicts and issues, they agreed. One said, “I also think that if something happens, we should always look at ourselves and see what we did wrong. We should be selfless.” The other said, “I agree. I also always try to follow these principles.”
They thus could not understand why the CCP persecuted practitioners for 27 years. “It is truly insane and saddening to destroy them just because they want to try to live a good life, have such a culture, and get together [to do the exercises]. I think this goes beyond the limits of the bottom line,” said Emily.
Janice said, “I think every person has the right to express themselves and live according to their own ways. These values themselves are great and are values that everybody should agree with. I think it is cruel that [the CCP] prohibits people from doing this. The persecution itself is horrible. I think it is even more inhumane and cruel that such a beautiful thing is being persecuted.”
They hoped that their signatures could help those people who can’t defend themselves. “I also want to have everyone pay attention to this, as this is truly an important and serious topic,” Janice said.
“I think what’s important is that someone stands here and does this [exposes the persecution]. I hope this kind of thing [the persecution] never happens again,” said Janice, who explained that this was the first time she heard of the persecution. “Even though theoretically speaking, these things are taking place publicly, I think they are still hidden to a certain extent. So it is very important for people to know about this.
“Only by letting more people know about it, is it possible to prevent it from continuing. If people expose it, others will help.”
Emily said, “I will definitely share this information with other people, so that they can also provide help and let more people pay attention to and learn about this.”
“Please Do Not Give Up”
“I have always been interested in this,” said Fithawit, who works in human resources. She explained that she frequently saw practitioners’ events on Frankfurt’s Römerberg Square and she knew about the CCP’s forced organ harvesting.
After seeing the event on Friday evening, she decided to learn more with her friend Anna. They spoke with practitioners for a long time. “My initial impression [of Falun Dafa] is positive,” she said. Anna said the principles of Truthfulness, Compassion, and Forbearance are “good values that everybody in the world needs.
“Meditation, or let’s say a kind of spiritual practice – this kind of practice makes one become better or stronger. But because of this, these people are suffering persecution, murder, and even forced extraction of organs. I don’t think it can even be described with the word, ‘insane,’” Fithawit said.
Both women thought that the events allow more people to know about the persecution. Fithawit said, “This is very important. I cannot imagine that in China, people are able to openly express themselves like we do here. Therefore, there must be voices from outside. And you are now this voice. They would at least know: ‘We are not alone.’”
Before they left, the women obtained the time and location of the local weekly practice site. “We will definitely go and try the exercises,” Fithawit said. “Please do not give up. Please keep going, hold your head up, make your voice louder and louder.”
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