The 24/7 Vigil

The peaceful and dignified vigil of Falun Gong practitioners opposite the Chinese Embassy in Portland Place has been continuing around the clock since 2002, and is a familiar sight to those of us who work at all hours of the night and day in this part of London. I walked past this afternoon on my way to Great Portland Street station, and felt that I wanted to record it in my journal as one of the things I won't see very often once I have stopped working in London. Falun Gong demonstrators take it in turns one by one to practice meditation and exercise in protest against suppression, persecution and human rights violations towards them by the Chinese Communist Party.