This English version may have been machine-generated from the Chinese original and may not convey the original meaning accurately.
Time has flowed silently through the neon lights of New York, and in the blink of an eye it's already the 47th time.
As the giant screens of Times Square still flicker with cyberpunk-like light and shadow, and tourists weave through the crossroads of Manhattan in an endless stream, our banner unfurled once again right on schedule. This time, the number of people present was 5.
1. The Return of Old Friends, and That "50-Minute Bike Ride"
The meaning of action often lies not in the accumulation of numbers, but in those unexpected connections, and in the resolve to stand shoulder to shoulder again after such connections are made.
As always, over the course of this action that has now lasted nearly a year, the turnover and flow of participants has been the norm. But on this Monday evening, we welcomed back several old friends. Compared to last week, there were more people this time, and more familiar faces among them. Among these returning faces, one friend stood out as especially remarkable.
He rode his bicycle all the way from Flushing, Queens, to Times Square.
Anyone who has lived in New York knows that even taking the 7 train, the trip from Flushing to Midtown Manhattan takes about 40 minutes. Yet he chose to cover this distance from Queens to Midtown Manhattan by bike, a one-way ride of roughly 50 minutes. After the event ended, he had to get back on his bicycle and ride all the way back to Flushing.
When we learned this detail, we felt a sense of admiration that was hard to put into words.
50 minutes one way, about two hours round trip. This is not just a physical expenditure—it is also a silent form of expression. Often, the hardest part of sticking with something for the long haul is not facing the cold stares of others, but overcoming one's own fatigue, inertia, and the many entanglements of daily life. His wheels measured the distance of reality, and let us see once again what truly sustains long-term action.
2. Pausing, Photographs, and the Flow of Everyday Life
Today, Times Square remained the same bustling crossroads of the world.
During the time we held up the banner, some people stopped to carefully read our appeal—supporting Taiwan's freedom and democracy, opposing the threat of force, and calling for China to move toward constitutional rule of law; others raised their phones to take photos, recording this scene into their memories of New York.
We have experienced this kind of feedback many times before, but every time we see a shutter click, we still find it precious.
We no longer demand that everyone who takes a photo fully understand the complex situation across the Taiwan Strait, nor do we expect that a single moment of pausing will change anything. We simply stand there, honestly, as always. As long as someone glances over or snaps a photo, the message of "freedom" and "resistance" has already made a small transmission along this bustling street.
3. Because of This Kind of Perseverance, We Continue
The 47th time, numbers rebounding, resilience growing stronger.
This friend who rode his bike all the way from Flushing reminds us with his action: if a goal is firm enough, distance and time cease to be mere obstacles.
We stand guard for the right of the Taiwanese people to define their own way of life, and we hope that freedom, democracy, and the rule of law can truly come to China. This road is long, just like that bike route from Flushing to Times Square—along the way there is wind, there are slopes, there is exhaustion, and there are moments when one wants to give up.
But as long as there are still people willing to draw near again and again, to return to the scene again and again, this relay for freedom will not stop.
The 47th time, recorded here.
Next Monday, the 48th time, we will still be there.