(Minghui.org) Falun Dafa practitioners in Ireland held activities in Dublin, the capital city of that country, on December 16, 2023. They introduced Falun Dafa (also known as Falun Gong) and raised awareness of the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) ongoing persecution. They called on the public to help stop the brutality, including the CCP’s organ harvesting from living practitioners.  

At the venue, practitioners demonstrated the exercises. Seeing the peaceful exercise demonstration and the eye-catching display boards, many passersby stopped. They wanted to find out about the spiritual practice and the CCP’s persecution. People signed the petition calling for an end to the brutality. Some people worked with the practitioners to invite more passersby to help stop the persecution. 

Practitioners raised awareness in Dublin, Ireland on December 16, 2023. 

Councilor Calls on Stopping the Persecution

“We deeply sympathize with the plight of Falun Gong, and we call on the authorities to speak out about the persecution they have suffered,” said Jim Codd, a councilor at County Wexford, who passed by the venue that day. After talking with the practitioners, he and his wife expressed support for the practitioners’ efforts to bring an end to the persecution.

Councilor Jim Codd (left) of County Wexford and his wife support practitioners. 

As a county councilor, Codd said he was pleased that his district, County Wexford, had passed a resolution calling on the Irish government to ratify the Council of Europe Convention against Trafficking in Human Organs as soon as possible. They want to curb transnational illegal organ trafficking. The resolution also called on the Irish government to demand the Chinese Communist regime immediately stop the crime of organ harvesting from Falun Gong practitioners and release all practitioners illegally imprisoned.

Local People Condemn the Persecution

This was also the sentiment of many Irish people. After signing the petition, Dublin residents Sussan and Brennan recalled that the first time they met Falun Gong practitioners who raised awareness of the Chinese regime perpetrating brutalities against people of its country was about 20 years ago.

“Falun Gong should not be persecuted,” Brian said. His wife, Sussan, also agreed. Pointing to a display board calling for an end to organ harvesting, Sussan said, “This disgusts me very much. This should not happen.”

Sussan (left) and her husband Brennan signed the petition calling for an end to the persecution. 

When asked why she came to sign, another Irish resident Berrda said, “Because of the cruel treatment the practitioners suffer.” Berrda said that this is not the first time she signed the petition, “We must take a stand for such a peaceful, beautiful and ancient practice.” 

Local resident Berrda supports Falun Gong. 

Tourists Sign the Petition

Among those signing the petition were tourists from Asia, Europe and Africa. 

Menar and Zahra, two young women from Egypt, said that this was the first time they had heard of Falun Gong, but they both signed the petition calling for an end to the persecution. They hoped to use the Minghui website to encourage Falun Gong practitioners in China to persevere because “you are not suffering alone.” 

Menar (left) and Zahra (right) encourage Falun Gong practitioners in China. 

Miranda from Italy was passing by the venue and saw practitioners meditating quietly among the bustling crowd. “They draw my attention. This is amazing,” Miranda said as she approached the practitioners demonstrating the exercises. She said she felt the energy field.

Miranda later continued to read the display boards and learned that because they practiced Falun Gong and their belief in Truthfulness, Compassion, and Forbearance, practitioners in China were tortured and even subjected to organ harvesting. This surprised Miranda. Her husband, Herald, had read many articles exposing the CCP’s organ harvesting from living people. After talking with her husband and Falun Gong practitioners, Miranda immediately signed the petition calling for an end to the persecution.

Miranda and her husband Herald support the practitioners’ efforts against the persecution. 

After signing, she saw another woman next to her and told her what the petition was about. After the woman signed and left, Miranda turned around and invited more people passing by to sign the petition.

Miranda said that if people knew about this persecution, they would help stop it. “When people can look inward and feel their hearts, they will know what is right, (because) this is intuition everyone has.”

Marie Odile, a French teacher, supports the practitioners.