Falun Gong members have been deemed too noisy to use Civic Square for a protest.

There has been a series of disputes between the spiritual group and Wellington City Council. In the most serious, Falun Gong initiated High Court action last year after it was barred from street parades because the council considered it to be a political movement. The action is on hold while mediation between the groups continues.

The Chinese spiritual movement, which believes in tranquil meditation techniques, has had a request to use Civic Square for three hours this Thursday and Friday declined by the council.

The morning gatherings would have featured amplified music, a marching band, and traditional exercises in preparation for day-long protests that include marches through central Wellington.

Mayor Kerry Prendergast wrote to the group, saying it could not use the venue.

"We have events in the Town Hall on those days which would be disturbed by any event in the Civic Square."

Council spokesman Richard MacLean said Falun Gong wanted to hold "loud amplified performances" which would have disrupted meetings in the Town Hall. "Falun Gong's loud and prolonged music, when they have staged vigils in the square in the past, has disrupted seminars and meetings in the Town Hall and we have . . . received complaints."

Falun Gong spokeswoman Joan Zhang said the council was unjustified in its decision. "I think this is just an excuse. It sounds strange to me because the council allows noisy events here all the time."

Mr MacLean declined to name the groups booked into the five meeting rooms which would allegedly be effected by the noise, but said they came from the commercial and government sectors.

Civic Square is a public space, but Mr MacLean said the council closely controlled what was held there so opposing events did not clash.

The council has a hands-off approach to most of its other parks, which can be used by any group. These include the new Courtenay Place Park where Falun Gong will gather for a candle-lit vigil on Thursday evening.

Falun Gong brochures say the group is based on the principles of truthfulness, compassion and forbearance. It also promotes independent beliefs outside communist ideology. The movement was banned in China in 1999.

(The Dominion Post, Tuesday, July 15, 2008)

Original text from: http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/dominionpost/4618504a6000.html