CHAN:
Yesterday Falun Gong practitioners staged a peaceful protest in front the Chinese consulate in New York City. They bring the stories of their relatives in China who are being persecuted by the Chinese Communist regime. The practitioners say that as the Olympics draw nearer the CCP is intensifying a nationwide crackdown. Here are some of their stories.

STORY:
Shuangying Zhang's parents have already served three years in a labor camp for their beliefs. They were arrested again two weeks ago.

[Shuangying Zhang, Falun Gong Practitioner]:
"When the police barged into my parents' house my mother asked them, 'Why do you confiscate my property? What reason do you have?' and they said, 'Because you practice Falun Gong. There are no reasons, this is reason enough.' So I think today's police are very evil. We cultivate Falun Gong's truth, compassion and forbearance. How can that be a threat to society?!"

Shuangying says her mother was so shocked by the arrest she had a stroke and became paralyzed.

[Shuangying Zhang, Falun Gong Practitioner]:
"After the Chinese Communist Party started to persecute Falun Gong I was worried and sad every day. My parents suffered so much as a result of the persecution. Since July 20, 1999, they haven't had a day of freedom."

Wanqing Huang's brother disappeared five years ago. Nobody knows his whereabouts.

[Wanqing Huang, Falun Gong Practitioner]:
"Today we remember the practitioners who have been persecuted to death. My heart feels heavy, because after so many years I still don't know if my brother is alive or not. We tried so many ways and still can't find him."

Retired professor Guohua Liu says the Chinese regime is actually afraid of Falun Gong practitioners.

[Guohua Liu, Retired Dongbei University Teacher]:
"The Chinese government is afraid of Falun Gong. There is no country, government or association in the world that is afraid of a group of people that believe in truth, compassion and forbearance. Why is the CCP so afraid? Because it is bad itself."

According to the Falun Gong website Clearwisdom.net, more than eight thousand practitioners have been arrested since the end of last year.

This is NTD, New York.