UK: 2004 Scotland Car Tour is Launched by Member of Scottish Parliament

On Saturday the 29th of May, UK Falun Gong practitioners began their 2004 Scotland Car Tour aiming to raise awareness of the persecution of Falun Gong in China. Four practitioners from both Scotland and England will be taking part in the Car Tour, which will visit 6 Scottish cities in 6 days. Two members of the car tour have experienced direct persecution: one man was tortured in China and one lady was arrested in Paris because she was wearing a scarf with the words "Falun Gong" on it at a Chinese New Year celebration. The practitioners will meet with MSPs, MPs, Council leaders and the media. This will also be combined with collecting signatures for a petition collection with local people to bring to the attention of the Scottish people the atrocities committed against Falun Gong, where 960 have been tortured to death and 100,000 are tortured in labour camps for refusing to renounce their belief in Truthfulness -Compassion - Tolerance, the core principles.

The tour was launched in Scotland’s capital city of Edinburgh by local Member of Parliament Mike Pringle, who made the following statement:

“I’m here because Falun Gong are going to be doing a car tour all over Scotland and are going to various cities. I’m very, very happy to support them in their aims of freedom of expression in China. Clearly in Scotland they can practise whatever they want to; anybody can practise this in Scotland and this, in my belief, should be extended across the world, in particular to the fascist state of China.”


MSP Mike Pringle (centre) talks with Dafa practitioners	Launching the 2004 Scotland Car Tour

News that the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) has been invited to take part in this year’s Edinburgh Military Tattoo left practitioners with an opportunity to let people know about the part that the PLA has played in the persecution of Falun Gong. The head of the PLA is Jiang Zemin, who was formerly China's Head of State. He is the prime instigator of the brutal persecution against Falun Gong and has been indicted in international lawsuits accusing him of crimes of torture, genocide and crimes against humanity against Falun Gong. PLA members who practise Falun Gong in China have been tortured, fired from their jobs and threatened by Jiang Zemin: “military personnel are strictly forbidden from practising Falun Gong and anyone caught disobeying this order can be executed by firearms."

Practitioners set up a Falun Dafa information stall in Edinburgh city centre and told people about the crimes of genocide that are happening in China. Hundreds of people signed a petition recognising Jiang Zemin’s accountability in this persecution that has claimed 960 lives (official documented figure – the real figure is thought to be several thousand).

Demonstrating Falun Gong exercises

Practitioners demonstrated the Falun Gong exercises, distributed leaflets and chatted with people. Many people were annoyed about these human rights atrocities against those who live their lives by Falun Gong’s principles of Truthfulness, Compassion and Tolerance. People were also dismayed that the PLA have been asked to take part in the Tattoo whilst Jiang Zemin blatantly violates human rights. This sentiment was echoed by Member of Scottish Parliament Mike Pringle who stated, “I do object very strongly to representatives of the Chinese Government in the form of the army coming to perform in Scotland, particularly at what is a very prestigious event – the Tattoo. I just don’t believe they should have been invited and I think that feeling is expressed by an awful lot of other people as well.”