Repeated Harassment by CCP Agents

After Ms. Liao was attacked, Chinese State Security Bureau officials repeatedly threatened her family in mainland China, saying that they were “going to come and arrest her [Ms. Liao] in Hong Kong.”

Although the wound on her head was just beginning to heal after a month, she still had pain a year later. Thanks to her Falun Gong practice, Ms. Liao has now fully recovered. If not, the outcome could have been considerably worse.

After the CCP began to persecute Falun Gong in July 1999, Ms. Liao applied for march and rally permits from the police numerous times on behalf of Hong Kong practitioners. She said that CCP spies had been following her and threatening her over the years.

Whenever she went out for activities or to travel, she would notice someone following her. The harassment and threatening phone calls have been non-stop, and her family members were also harassed. In order to protect her family, Ms. Liao has not returned home to China for years.

During an event in July 2016 to commemorate the ongoing efforts to counter the persecution, CCP agents poured red paint on her head. They then followed up with harassing phone calls. “Better stop these [Falun Gong] activities; you won’t be so lucky next time,” said one caller. “If you go on like this, you will be sorry and we will hit you hard,” was the message in another phone call.

After the attack in 2019, Ms. Liao was still being followed and the threatening phone calls did not stop, either. For her own safety, she had to leave Hong Kong.

Despite the harassment and threats, Ms. Liao said that she has done the right thing. “Falun Gong has benefitted its practitioners greatly. How can we not speak the facts?” she explained.

That is why she stayed in Hong Kong for all those years to apply for rally and march permits to oppose the persecution. She emphasised that all Falun Gong activities were lawful and that they were approved by and protected by the police.

Seeking Justice

Stephen Char Shik Ngor, former Senior Assignment Officer for the Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC), said that with the vehicle plate number and the WhatsApp record, it should be possible to track down the two attackers and other participants in the crime. He suspects there may be other reasons that have complicated the case. For example, one of the attackers had left Hong Kong. Nonetheless, he hoped that the Hong Kong police could put more resources toward investigating this incident, since attacking peaceful Falun Gong practitioners has a long-term impact on Hong Kong’s stability.

Ms. Liao also added that, when she was attacked, other practitioners had written down the vehicle plate number and given it to the police, who had also obtained surveillance video at the location where she was attacked. She urged the Hong Kong authorities to thoroughly investigate the incident and hold the criminals accountable.

Other Falun Gong practitioners have also been attacked. Ms. Liang Zhen, president of the Falun Dafa Association of Hong Kong, was beaten by masked mobsters right before a World Falun Dafa Day celebration in May 2021. Ms. Liang provided the suspect’s vehicle plate number and there was surveillance video available. Although the police arrested two suspects, officials said there wasn’t sufficient evidence to charge them.

In other cases of assault, elderly Falun Gong practitioners who have told passersby about Falun Gong have been pushed down by CCP agents. Quite a few practitioners have also been followed or monitored.

Ngor commented that Falun Gong is a lawful organisation in Hong Kong, and it is wrong for anyone to threaten or attack them. He added that all Hong Kong residents’ legal rights should be protected, including those of Falun Gong practitioners.