Chinese spies intimidating and harassing people in Sydney members of Falun Gong say

October 15, 2015 7:00pm

Nigel GladstoneNorth Shore Times

Falun Gong mass meditation at Bradfield Park Milsons Point on July 21. Photo by Henry Lam

Three north shore residents claim Chinese spies are actively intimidating Australians because of their spiritual beliefs.

A modern mix of meditation and tai chi called Falun Gong was banned by the Chinese government and since 1999, practitioners have been routinely locked up and persecuted there.

Local resident Melanie Sun said cases of harassment are not confined to China and have been going on for years in Sydney.

“Michael (Li)’s story is the tip of the iceberg of the Falun Gong issue,” Ms Sun said.

“There’s so much behind why a huge economic superpower like China be so set on silencing and dissuading people to listen to a peaceful group like the Falun Gong.”

Artarmon resident Grant Lee says he's been followed and harassed by Chinese spies in Australia.

Artarmon resident Grant Lee told the North Shore Times he had been beaten, put under surveillance and held by Chinese police in Beijing before he was deported in 1999 because he takes part in Falun Gong.

“I couldn’t believe it. What is wrong with meditation?” Mr Lee, 53, said.

After moving here in 1989 to study, he discovered Falun Gong in 1996. Since then he’s been denied a Chinese visa to see his dying mother and his sister is in detention awaiting trial in China for Falun Gong.

In Sydney his car, which had Falun Gong stickers, was vandalised so regularly he spent hours watching to see who was responsible.

The culprit was caught on camera and arrested. He told police somebody had paid him to do it, Mr Lee said.

“My friends … drive taxis with Falun Dafa stickers and have had tyres slashed,” he said. “My sister was put into hard labour camps for two years and beaten.”

Melanie Sun said the Chinese government and local embassies in Australia have had tabs on Falun Gong practitioners for years.

Falun Gong, meditation before a protest march against the Chinese government, in Los Angeles on October 15, 2015. Picture: REUTERS/Lucy Nicholson

“The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) often tries to paint the Falun Gong movement as power-hungry with political motives,” she said.

“The reason Falun Gong is so vocal about the CCP is to bring to light (their) … disrespect for human rights.”