Three weeks ago, violent attacks on Falun Gong practitioners by Chinese nationals linked to the Chinese Consulate, started in Flushing, New York.
These attacks, which have occurred daily since May 17, have resulted in several practitioners being injured and several mob members being arrested. Politicians and Flushing residents have spoken out against the attacks, which were organized and incited, in part, by a high-level Chinese Consular official.
This week, an almost identical attack occurred to a Chinese national residing in Poland.
Ms. Zhang Qian, a resident in Poland for the past 14 years, was attacked in a wholesale mall near Warsaw dominated by Chinese businesses.
Each week for the past year, Ms. Zhang has delivered the Chinese-language version of The Epoch Times in the GD Wolka Kosowska mall. Ms. Zhang is widely known in the community to be a Falun Gong practitioner. Until this week, all of her visits were without incident.
Ms. Zhang gives the following account:
Around noon on Saturday, June 7, Ms. Zhang saw an unfamiliar lady at GD Wolka Kosowska, a wholesale mall frequented by shopowners. In general, most Chinese at the mall recognise each other, so Ms. Zhang made a point of saying hello. They passed each other without incident.
A few minutes later, the lady, identified by GD Wolka Kosowska shopowners as Ms. Lei Wu, approached Ms. Zhang from behind, grabbing several newspapers, and tearing them up. When Ms. Lei reached for more newspapers, Ms. Zhang attempted to shield them. At this point, Ms. Lei pushed Ms. Zhang, and then punched her in the back. The two parted ways shortly thereafter. Ms. Zhang continued to deliver newspapers.
Ms. Zhang's hand was injured when she tried to shield the newspapers.
Two hours later, a woman, Ms. Wu Xiaoxia, started shouting at Ms. Zhang. She was later identified by local shopkeepers as Ms. Lei Wu's mother. Shortly thereafter Ms. Lei Wu appeared at the scene, and made overtures to attack Ms. Zhang again, but was stopped by her mother when Zhang pulled out her camera. At this point, Ms. Lei Wu issued a death threat against Ms. Zhang.
Ms. Lei Wu was identified by GD Wolka Kosowska merchants as having had worked for the Chinese Embassy in Poland. Three days prior to this incident, Ms. Zhang had spoken about China human rights at the Global Human Rights Torch Relay events in front of the Chinese embassy. Embassy staff were seen recording her speech.
GD Wolka Kosowska merchants also noted Ms. Lei Wu had been going from business to business, handing out videos about the recent unrest in Tibet – featuring the Chinese Communist Party line.
Ms. Zhang reported the incident to the local police station, Leszno Wola. Police are investigating the incident, and the videos are being analysed for possible hate content.
Since 1999 the Chinese Communist Party has brutally persecuted the Falun Gong spiritual practice in China. The CCP incites public violence against practitioners through extensive propaganda campaigns vilifying the practice.
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