Interview with Shen Yun Lawyers: Justin Butterfield and Lea Patterson on American Thought Leaders

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This is the full version of Jan Jekielek’s interview with Justin Butterfield and Lea Patterson. The interview was originally released on Epoch TV on July 10, 2025.

For years, Jan Jekielek has been reporting on the ways the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) crushes the religious freedom of its citizens. But in recent years, the CCP has been escalating its tactics against a religious group here—on American soil. In this episode, Jan sits down with religious freedom lawyers Justin Butterfield and Lea Patterson to understand what’s going on and discuss their response to a recent lawsuit against Shen Yun, the performing arts company founded by Falun Gong practitioners in New York. The case touches on vital questions about what it means to be able to practice your faith—and guide the education of your children in America.