Epoch Times: China Pressures France to Arrest Falun Gong Practitioners

Riordan Galluccio/ The Epoch Times

Under pressure from Chinese government officials, Paris Police detain Falun Gong practitioners for wearing yellow clothing

French police arrested several Falun Gong practitioners “Because yellow is illegal in France.” Many were not wearing yellow (a color associated with Falun Gong.) AFP Photo

PARIS – This weekend local Paris police, under intense pressure from the Chinese government, initiated a new trend in Parisian fashion with an unusual directive- “Yellow is illegal.” Or to be more specific, yellow worn by Falun Gong practitioners is illegal. The thinly veiled attempt by Chinese officials to target Falun Gong practitioners from around the world, in town to mark the Chinese New Year, was swiftly enforced by Paris police. A group of practitioners on their way to a New Year’s celebration were detained for wearing yellow clothing on the city streets. Among those detained were Dr. Viviana Galli and Sunny Lu from the United States, who were stopped by police near the Champs Elyse.

When Ms. Lu asked why they were being arrested she was told, “Because
yellow is illegal in France.”

Ms. Galli, who was not wearing yellow was simply told, “You have done
something illegal,” but when pressed for an answer police pointed to her
scarf emblazoned with the words “Falun Dafa.”

The group’s passports were confiscated and they were held in a police
van for 5 hours, and then driven to a police station where they were held for
several hours more. They were released after their bags were searched.

The incident came on the heels of denial for permission to participate in the
Chinese New Year parade held on January 24th, under intense pressure from the
Chinese government.

According to coordinator Alexis Gemin, who helps organize Falun Gong activities
in France, Paris officials told him they would not be let into the parade due
to enormous pressure from the Chinese government. Mr. Gemin said that the Chinese
Embassy threatened to cancel all participation if Falun Gong were allowed into
the parade.

Gemin added that Chinese newspapers in Paris also started to publish statements
like, “Everything needs to be done to prevent Falun Gong from creating
trouble.”

In response, Falun Gong practitioners held a joint press conference with several
human rights organizations in Paris on January 21st. They presented a petition
appealing to the French government to let Falun Gong participate in the parade.
Among organizations joining the press conference were Amnesty International,
Together Against Death Penalty, and Reporters Without Borders.

Jack Lang, former French Minister of Culture, and Robert Badinter, former French
Minister of Justice who abolished the death penalty in France, also attended.

Posting date: 2/Feb/2004
Original article date: 30/Jan/2004
Category: Media Report