On October 1st (Thursday), known as the Chinese Communist Party’s “National Day,” more than ten civil organizations and protestors from various ethnic groups gathered in front of the Chinese consulates in both northern and southern California. They displayed banners with messages such as “No National Day, Only National Mourning,” “Overthrow the Chinese Communist Party, Everyone’s Responsibility,” and “Hold the Communist Party Accountable,” while chanting slogans and condemning the terror and evil deeds of the CCP.
On social media platforms, “National Mourning” has become a popular expression among the Chinese community to voice their feelings. Some activists have pointed out that holding the Communist Party accountable is the best way for contemporary Chinese people to “commemorate” October 1st, and the day of “judgment” is not far off.
Since the 2019 Hong Kong anti-extradition protests, a large number of Hong Kong residents have fled to countries like the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom. Every year during the “National Mourning Day” protest rally in Los Angeles, the presence of Hong Kong activists is prominent.
Ann Lau, the president of the Human Rights Organization “Visual Artists Guild” from Hong Kong, highlighted the continuous political movements and inconsistent policies of the CCP over the past 77 years, which have led to the persecution and deaths of countless Chinese citizens. She criticized the CCP for policies like the “One Child Policy” that resulted in the killing of numerous unborn babies and even their mothers. Lau questioned whether the CCP has acknowledged its mistakes or apologized to the people.
Addressing the economic and social destruction caused by the CCP in Hong Kong, Lau emphasized that 380,000 Hong Kong residents have been forced to leave their homeland, leading to an economic decline and the exodus of international investors. She stated that Hong Kong’s investments now primarily come from China, indicating that the Communist Party has effectively suffocated Hong Kong, resulting in the loss of democracy and freedom of speech.
The infiltration of Taiwan by the CCP and its international suppression have prompted Taiwanese citizens to join the protest rallies.
When interviewed, Wu Zhaofeng, a community leader of Taiwanese Americans in Los Angeles, expressed a hope for global awareness of the CCP’s true nature as evil, a regime that must be eradicated.
Wu recalled witnessing the violent crackdown of the Tiananmen Square massacre by the CCP’s military in Taiwan, leading to a deeper understanding of the atrocities of the Great Famine and the Cultural Revolution as part of the “Red Menace.” He highlighted the CCP’s efforts to promote cognitive warfare through extensive propaganda, aiming to legitimize the existence of this malevolent authoritarian regime.
“If we do not speak out, the CCP will only grow stronger,” Wu warned, urging continuous efforts to counter the CCP and exposing the youth to unfiltered information to recognize false narratives.
Eric Liu, an IT engineer and Christian who fled China for the United States three years ago, questioned the persecution of believers by the CCP. He pointed out that at the root of this oppression lies Marxist-Leninist ideologies.
Liu referenced a younger Karl Marx who, in his poem “The Fiddle’s Curse,” expressed resentment towards God and sought vengeance, ultimately turning against Christianity and becoming a follower of Satan. Liu argued that Marx envied the status of God in people’s hearts, hence the CCP’s suppression of religion. He and many others see the Communist Party as the “Great Red Dragon” from the Book of Revelation, symbolizing a spiritual embodiment of Satan opposing God and persecuting believers.
Due to the persecution of Christian house church members by the CCP, Eric expressed suppressed emotions before leaving China: “You cannot openly preach, distribute flyers on the streets, or even purchase a Bible. It’s absurd— the CCP even demands the removal of crosses.”
“It is only a matter of time before October 1st is designated as China’s National Mourning Day, ensuring that future generations never forget the evils brought by the CCP to the world,” stated Wang Dan, a leader of the 1989 Tiananmen Square protests living in Los Angeles, in a post on social media on Wednesday.
Independent scholar Wu Zuolai, who was among the final group of students to evacuate Tiananmen Square before the crackdown in 1989, published a lengthy article on social media titled “The War of Red Cults Against Human Civilization,” emphasizing the war of communism against the civilized world parallel to the Second World War, which he believes has been overlooked by Western societies.
He emphasized, “The war initiated by communism… is a violation and war against human nature, human dignity, human rights, and the rules of human social civilization.”
Zhao Changqing, a leader of the 1989 Tiananmen Square protests living in Northern California, expressed in a post, “Judging Xi Jinping, holding the Communist Party accountable,” as the best way for contemporary Chinese people to “commemorate” October 1st, indicating a belief that the day of “judgment” is near, encouraging collective efforts.
On October 1st, during the rallies for “National Mourning Day” in both San Francisco and Los Angeles, participating grassroots organizations included the China Democracy Fund, San Francisco branch of the Chinese Democratic Party, Hong Kong Association of Northern California, American Hong Kong Home, Chinese Youth Advocates for Tibet, Southern California Tibetan Association, Uyghur Association of Los Angeles, Visual Artists Guild, International Alliance of Chinese Democratic Party, Hong Kong Liberal Democratic Party, and Los Angeles USA-Korea Joint Council.