36 Westerners Protesting on Tiananmen

Thirty-six Westerners from around the world suddenly appeared at Tiananmen Square in Beijing with a message that astounded onlookers in China and around the world.

That was 20 years ago, on Nov. 20, 2001, making international headlines more than two years after the Chinese Communist Party launched an unprecedented campaign of terror against Falun Gong, known as Falun Dafa.

Following photos, the mysterious individuals from Europe, Australia, the United States, and Canada sat down to meditate. Behind them was a bright yellow banner that read, “Truth compassion tolerance” with accompanying Chinese characters—the main tenets of Falun Gong.