Elderly Falun Gong Practitioner Targeted in Flushing Amid Ongoing Safety Concerns

On March 25, a 73-year-old Falun Gong practitioner was violently assaulted in the Flushing neighborhood of Queens, according to reports from the Global Service Center for Quitting the Chinese Communist Party (Global Tuidang Center) and verified by NYPD Complaint Report #2026-109-003089. The Global Tuidang Center operates public outreach booths to provide information materials about the persecution of Falun Gong in China and to assist individuals who wish to renounce affiliations with the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) organizations.

The incident and official classification

The victim, Ms. Lü Anmin (identified in the report as ‘CV’ or Complainant Victim), was walking home near the front of 144-63 Sanford Avenue after her volunteering shift at a public information booth. At approximately 3:50 PM (15:50), she was confronted by an unidentified perpetrator (listed as ‘PERP’). The suspect is described as a man in his early 20s wearing dark clothing and a white surgical-style mask.

According to the NYPD report narrative, the perpetrator struck the victim multiple times in the face with a closed fist. The attacker then forcibly removed her property (later identified as her phone and bag) without permission and fled on foot westbound on Sanford Avenue.

The NYPD has officially classified the incident under the top charge of ROBBERY and it is being investigated as a FELONY (IBR# 120). Specifically, the report details PL 160.10 02A: ROBBERY, 2nd: CAUSES PHYSICAL INJURY, a serious felony charge reflecting the violent nature of the act.

Ms. Lü sustained visible trauma, which the police report lists as a minor laceration to the face, and impaired mobility in her leg. The case status is listed as OPEN and has been referred to the P.D.U. (Precinct Detective Unit) for further investigation. The reporting officer was from the 109th Precinct.

A pattern of hostility

This felony robbery follows a similar physical assault on another Falun Gong practitioner reported in the same vicinity approximately one month prior. The Flushing community has experienced consistent and persistent harassment targeting volunteer-run information booths. For over two decades, practitioners have reported a pattern of hostility, verbal abuse, and interference at these sites.

While the police report focuses on the immediate criminal act, human rights advocacy groups remain concerned about potential motives related to broader transnational repression efforts.

Wang Zhiyuan, chairman of the Global Tuidang Center, stated that the nature of the attack suggests it was not a random act of street crime. “This assault was not accidental,” Wang noted, characterizing it as part of a “broader series of coordinated efforts to intimidate those speaking out against CCP organizations, often enabled by individuals acting on the party’s behalf overseas.”

Now a formal felony investigation, this case serves as a critical test for U.S. law enforcement in protecting vulnerable communities from targeted violence. Ensuring that individuals can exercise their First Amendment rights without fear of physical reprisal remains an essential benchmark for the protection of religious freedom and the rule of law in the United States.