NEW YORK—Council Member John Liu (D-Flushing) announced his intention to run for City Comptroller from the steps of City Hall on Sunday morning. Several men with serious expressions stood guard in front of Liu, eyeing reporters and would-be confronters, of whom there were several. Some dissenters were unable to make themselves heard, as they were kept outside the gates of City Hall Park.
While a throng of Liu’s supporters chanted his name from the steps of City Hall, a group of detractors outside City Hall Park held a banner that read: “John Liu Does Not Represent the Interest of the People of the USA” and “John Liu Flirts with the CCP” (with CCP referring to the Chinese Communist Party). These were strong statements by any measure, and one had to wonder what was behind these placards and banners.
“Where bigotry and hatred and xenophobia rear their head, I have been there,” said Liu from the steps of City Hall. “These are issues I have taken to heart,” continued Liu. Noble sentiments were these, and no doubt a welcome campaign promise to Flushing constituents, the most diverse population in New York City. However, those who have attempted to speak to Liu about such matters have a different story to tell.
Zhizheng Dai, originally from China and now living in Fort Lee, N.J., explained her protest at Liu’s press conference. Dating back to an outbreak of violence that erupted in Liu’s district last spring and summer, Dai contacted Liu about incidents then unfolding in Flushing.
The violence targeted members of the spiritual practice of Falun Gong, sometimes referred to as Falun Dafa. The practice includes meditation and slow-moving exercises. It also teaches traditional Chinese moral principles, including Truthfulness, Compassion, and Forbearance. Though initially supported in China, and even practiced by members of the CCP, it was outlawed by former party head Jiang Zemin in 1999, and has been severely persecuted in China ever since.
There have been over 3,000 reported deaths of Falun Gong practitioners as a result of the CCP’s persecution. Some speculate that evidence of organ harvesting from detained Falun Gong practitioners may eventually reveal a death toll well exceeding tens of thousands.
What happened in downtown Flushing last spring appears to be an extension of the CCP’s persecution of Falun Gong on U.S. soil. In a taped phone conversation from May 21, 2008, Consul General Peng Keyu of the New York Chinese Consulate openly admitted to having encouraged the violent attacks against Falun Gong practitioners, as well as having visited Flushing to meet with attackers.
Epoch Times reporter Dr. Wang Wenyi received a phone call last year from the U.S. Department of Justice seeking information about the Flushing incidents. The justice department also informed her that Peng, Council Member John Liu, and former assembly member Ellen Young were under investigation for their possible involvement in the attacks. In addition, Dr. Wang was told that the department could not comment on a case that was currently under investigation.
Dai’s husband, Cheng Yong Chen, was killed in China in 2001 in the persecution of Falun Gong. Last spring when Dai heard about the attacks against Falun Gong practitioners in Flushing, she was very concerned and wanted to speak to Liu, believing that Liu, as an elected official, served the interests of the American people. According to Dai, Liu had published a notice in a Chinese newspaper inviting those with concerns about the violence to come to his office.
Dai says that at a press conference held in his office, Liu refused to listen to reports of the violence. In fact, he denied any attacks in Flushing, despite being shown videotapes of attacks as well as reports of several arrests and of large groups of well-organized Chinese people routinely appearing in downtown Flushing who harassed and attacked the Falun Gong practitioners. Dai said that Liu refused to listen to her.
“He was not against the violence. How can he represent the American people? A lot of victims tried to talk to him to let him know. Actually he knows about the persecution in China, but I think he chooses to bow down before the CCP. He has no morals to run for comptroller. That’s what we want people to know,” said Dai.
The incidents in Flushing appear to fall under the definition of a hate crime, according to New York attorney Robert Gottlieb.
“By U.S. law, many of the attacks against Falun Gong in recent months are, by definition, hate crimes. If your victim is intentionally selected in whole or in part because of their race, color, gender, religion, religious practice, that then is an essential element of a hate crime,” said Gottlieb.
“So why these people were singled out, why they were assaulted, if it can be shown to be because of religion or religious practices, that then complies with the hate law statute,” said Gottlieb.
“Then if you’re convicted, in fact your punishment will be more severe.”
One of the alleged attackers, Victor Yao, was arrested after an incident on June 15 in Brooklyn where he allegedly attacked a Falun Gong practitioner with a metal steering wheel lock. The Brooklyn District Attorney was reported to have made a decision to treat the incident as a hate crime.
Dai and others also met with Democratic District Leader Martha Flores-Vazquez about the attacks. Flores-Vasquez serves district 22 in Flushing. District Leaders work as a point of contact between political parties and the communities in which they work. In investigating the attacks, Flores-Vazquez was invited to a meeting at the Flushing library by John Choe, Liu’s chief of staff. Choe told Flores-Vazquez that the meeting was specifically about the violence in downtown Flushing and that everyone was welcome.
When Flores-Vazquez arrived at the meeting, she was refused entry. Mei Hua Ru, who had also run for District Leader, turned Flores-Vazquez away telling her that “this is a meeting for John Liu and his constituents.” Flores-Vazquez made it clear that she was invited to the meeting. She also made phone calls to John Choe and others in an attempt to enter the meeting, but was still denied entry.
Flores-Vazquez later received a video of the meeting. As a district leader and head of an anti-violence initiative, she “had some concerns” about the violence in Flushing. At the library, Liu was again shown videos documenting the violence. However, Liu again claimed he did not see any violence in the video.
“It was very clear that there was an outbreak of violence against the Falun Gong community. It’s clear as day,” said Flores-Vazquez. “No one in their right mind could say there was no violence against the Falun Gong community.”
“They have suffered enough. They have come to a land of freedom, and I think it is a real disgrace for anyone to turn their back on innocent, peaceful demonstrators in the city of New York.”
While a throng of Liu’s supporters chanted his name from the steps of City Hall, a group of detractors outside City Hall Park held a banner that read: “John Liu Does Not Represent the Interest of the People of the USA” and “John Liu Flirts with the CCP” (with CCP referring to the Chinese Communist Party). These were strong statements by any measure, and one had to wonder what was behind these placards and banners.
“Where bigotry and hatred and xenophobia rear their head, I have been there,” said Liu from the steps of City Hall. “These are issues I have taken to heart,” continued Liu. Noble sentiments were these, and no doubt a welcome campaign promise to Flushing constituents, the most diverse population in New York City. However, those who have attempted to speak to Liu about such matters have a different story to tell.
Zhizheng Dai, originally from China and now living in Fort Lee, N.J., explained her protest at Liu’s press conference. Dating back to an outbreak of violence that erupted in Liu’s district last spring and summer, Dai contacted Liu about incidents then unfolding in Flushing.
The violence targeted members of the spiritual practice of Falun Gong, sometimes referred to as Falun Dafa. The practice includes meditation and slow-moving exercises. It also teaches traditional Chinese moral principles, including Truthfulness, Compassion, and Forbearance. Though initially supported in China, and even practiced by members of the CCP, it was outlawed by former party head Jiang Zemin in 1999, and has been severely persecuted in China ever since.
There have been over 3,000 reported deaths of Falun Gong practitioners as a result of the CCP’s persecution. Some speculate that evidence of organ harvesting from detained Falun Gong practitioners may eventually reveal a death toll well exceeding tens of thousands.
What happened in downtown Flushing last spring appears to be an extension of the CCP’s persecution of Falun Gong on U.S. soil. In a taped phone conversation from May 21, 2008, Consul General Peng Keyu of the New York Chinese Consulate openly admitted to having encouraged the violent attacks against Falun Gong practitioners, as well as having visited Flushing to meet with attackers.
Epoch Times reporter Dr. Wang Wenyi received a phone call last year from the U.S. Department of Justice seeking information about the Flushing incidents. The justice department also informed her that Peng, Council Member John Liu, and former assembly member Ellen Young were under investigation for their possible involvement in the attacks. In addition, Dr. Wang was told that the department could not comment on a case that was currently under investigation.
Dai’s husband, Cheng Yong Chen, was killed in China in 2001 in the persecution of Falun Gong. Last spring when Dai heard about the attacks against Falun Gong practitioners in Flushing, she was very concerned and wanted to speak to Liu, believing that Liu, as an elected official, served the interests of the American people. According to Dai, Liu had published a notice in a Chinese newspaper inviting those with concerns about the violence to come to his office.
Dai says that at a press conference held in his office, Liu refused to listen to reports of the violence. In fact, he denied any attacks in Flushing, despite being shown videotapes of attacks as well as reports of several arrests and of large groups of well-organized Chinese people routinely appearing in downtown Flushing who harassed and attacked the Falun Gong practitioners. Dai said that Liu refused to listen to her.
“He was not against the violence. How can he represent the American people? A lot of victims tried to talk to him to let him know. Actually he knows about the persecution in China, but I think he chooses to bow down before the CCP. He has no morals to run for comptroller. That’s what we want people to know,” said Dai.
The incidents in Flushing appear to fall under the definition of a hate crime, according to New York attorney Robert Gottlieb.
“By U.S. law, many of the attacks against Falun Gong in recent months are, by definition, hate crimes. If your victim is intentionally selected in whole or in part because of their race, color, gender, religion, religious practice, that then is an essential element of a hate crime,” said Gottlieb.
“So why these people were singled out, why they were assaulted, if it can be shown to be because of religion or religious practices, that then complies with the hate law statute,” said Gottlieb.
“Then if you’re convicted, in fact your punishment will be more severe.”
One of the alleged attackers, Victor Yao, was arrested after an incident on June 15 in Brooklyn where he allegedly attacked a Falun Gong practitioner with a metal steering wheel lock. The Brooklyn District Attorney was reported to have made a decision to treat the incident as a hate crime.
Dai and others also met with Democratic District Leader Martha Flores-Vazquez about the attacks. Flores-Vasquez serves district 22 in Flushing. District Leaders work as a point of contact between political parties and the communities in which they work. In investigating the attacks, Flores-Vazquez was invited to a meeting at the Flushing library by John Choe, Liu’s chief of staff. Choe told Flores-Vazquez that the meeting was specifically about the violence in downtown Flushing and that everyone was welcome.
When Flores-Vazquez arrived at the meeting, she was refused entry. Mei Hua Ru, who had also run for District Leader, turned Flores-Vazquez away telling her that “this is a meeting for John Liu and his constituents.” Flores-Vazquez made it clear that she was invited to the meeting. She also made phone calls to John Choe and others in an attempt to enter the meeting, but was still denied entry.
Flores-Vazquez later received a video of the meeting. As a district leader and head of an anti-violence initiative, she “had some concerns” about the violence in Flushing. At the library, Liu was again shown videos documenting the violence. However, Liu again claimed he did not see any violence in the video.
“It was very clear that there was an outbreak of violence against the Falun Gong community. It’s clear as day,” said Flores-Vazquez. “No one in their right mind could say there was no violence against the Falun Gong community.”
“They have suffered enough. They have come to a land of freedom, and I think it is a real disgrace for anyone to turn their back on innocent, peaceful demonstrators in the city of New York.”
Friends Read Free