NEW YORK — On the morning of February 20, an anonymous bomb threat was sent to the Kennedy Center in Washington DC, as the theater was preparing for opening night of a series of shows by Shen Yun Performing Arts, a classical Chinese dance company founded by Falun Gong practitioners. The complex was evacuated for several hours while police confirmed no bombs had actually been placed in the theater.
The fake threat is the latest in a string of anonymous bomb, mass shooting, and sexual violence threats sent over the past year that target Falun Gong practitioners, Shen Yun performers, their families, and supporters. To date, no violence has actually occurred but the tactic appears aimed at intimidating performers and scaring away potential audience members.
“Though anonymous and thus far fake, it is clear that whoever is sending these threats is doing so in a coordinated manner and likely has ties back to Beijing. After all, who else would want to silence Shen Yun and intimidate would-be supporters of Falun Gong? This is an especially dangerous and depraved tactic of transnational repression,” says Levi Browde, executive director of the Falun Dafa Information Center.
Beginning in March 2024, the Falun Dafa Information Center has documented over 60 threats sent to Falun Gong practitioners or Shen Yun. The frequency of threats has increased since December 2024, reaching an unprecedented level. Since January 2025, targets have also included elected representatives who have supported Falun Gong, as well as other U.S. officials and venues such as the State Department, White House, and President Donald Trump.
The death threats targeting Falun Gong and Shen Yun over the past year represent a significant escalation from the past, raising serious concerns. Although anonymous, the threats coincide with a broader campaign by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) to eliminate Falun Gong and Shen Yun outside China, indicating a likely connection to Beijing. The campaign—according to internal party sources, instigated in 2022 by a Xi Jinping speech—has featured increased intimidation, harassment, and disinformation targeting Falun Gong and Shen Yun, especially in the United States, and has included misleading, inaccurate, and hate-inciting posts on social media platforms like X and YouTube, as well as articles in mainstream Western media.
“As news media begin reporting on this latest threat, it is vitally important to note the broader context. Demonizing news coverage had consequences and Beijing’s fingerprints are all over this campaign,” says Browde. “We urge journalists reporting on these threats to take a look at the bigger picture.”
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