Why did Falun Gong practitioners appeal?
The Tianjin Police had arrested some 45 practitioners who went to clarify the truth to a magazine publisher about an article that slandered Falun Gong. Tianjin police told the practitioners to take their appeal to Beijing, to the State Appeals Office adjacent to the Zhongnanhai central government compound. They did exactly this. Why did practitioners appeal to the Central Committee? As early as June of 1996, the Propaganda Ministry of the Central Committee instructed various levels of government to criticize Falun Gong. Guangming Daily News launched the first attack with the article “Alarm Bell Keeps Ringing.” The News Publishing Bureau subsequently prohibited the publishing, distribution and sale of Falun Gong books. Before April 25, police all over had already begun to seize Falun Gong books, and interfere with group practices. The arrest of practitioners by the Tianjin Police was an escalation of the persecution. The problem had already reached the point it could not have been resol
