By a Western practitioner from San Francisco

(Clearwisdom.net) On Saturday May 17, an event was held in San Francisco's Union Square to collect signatures for the 2008 "Anti-Persecution Millions of Signatures Global Campaign". This signature collection is a global campaign launched by the Coalition to Investigate the Persecution of Falun Gong (CIPFG) in advance of the 2008 Olympics in Beijing. The collected signatures will be presented on July 20, 2008 to the International Olympics Committee, the United Nations Commission on Human Rights, international human rights organizations, and various governments and parliaments around the world.

The global anti-persecution petitions will demand that the Chinese Communist regime immediately stop its persecution of Falun Gong, unconditionally release all Falun Gong practitioners in detention, and end the suppression of righteous individuals who support Falun Gong, such as human rights lawyer Gao Zhisheng.

Many people who passed by the event that afternoon felt their hearts touched by the beauty of Dafa, and knew that the persecution of Falun Gong was unacceptable. They immediately showed their support by signing the petition.

Mr. Gooble from San Francisco was very happy to sign and help with the cause. He said, "I definitively want to support this. My wife is Chinese, and she still does not understand that there should be freedom of belief." He said that she still believed the slanderous propaganda from the Chinese government. "I know that a lot of Chinese people are brainwashed by the Chinese government propaganda." He said that he is confident that with a little more time and his persistence he will be able to change his wife's mind.

Trevor, a young student from Arcata, shared with a practitioner that he disapproved of the Chinese government persecuting Falun Dafa, a group that is so peaceful and good. He was very eager to sign the petition and said, "This persecution is insane, it should not be happening." He also took some Dafa materials to find out more about the practice in his hometown.

Sarah and Nader from San Clemente and San Francisco respectively were also supportive of the cause. They both signed the petition to stop these kinds of crimes.

Several tourists stopped by as well, and were glad to support this global campaign. Mr. and Mrs. Nonti from France both signed. Mr. Nonti said, "Now, governments are pursuing business and money. Before, when governments were guided by religion, this did not happen." Mrs. Nonti said, "People should be allowed to have their own spirituality."

Hundreds of signatures were collected that afternoon, showing that people are gaining more awareness about the persecution of Falun Gong. Many are glad to show their support and eager to help stop the persecution.