Bomb Threats Mark Alarming Escalation in Campaign to Silence Shen Yun

In recent weeks, Shen Yun Performing Arts, a globally recognized performing arts company known for its portrayal of traditional Chinese culture, has yet again been the target of a series of bomb threats and acts of vandalism. Most Shen Yun performers are also practitioners of Falun Gong, with many having fled China to escape persecution.

Law enforcement confirmed that all bomb threats received were fake and no real danger has been found in any theaters. All shows proceeded as scheduled and without incident.

These recent incidents are the latest in an escalating campaign by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) to undermine and silence the New York-based group. Since the company’s inception, Chinese officials have used diplomatic pressure and economic coercion on theaters and local governments around the world in attempts to stop Shen Yun from performing.

With these tactics largely failing, the regime seems to have turned to using proxies to commit acts of vandalism such as slashing the company’s tour bus tires. The latest bomb threats represent a new low for the regime and its supporters in targeting Shen Yun.

A Spate of Bomb Threats and Vandalism

The incidents began with a series false bomb threats within the span of a few weeks, targeting both Shen Yun’s headquarters in upstate New York and venues scheduled to hold performances.

The first of these threats was sent over email on March 14 claiming that a “remote-control bomb” had been placed at Dragon Springs, the site of Shen Yun’s training facilities. But no explosives were found. A Shen Yun representative said the FBI is investigating the incident. The email sender whose account used a Chinese name has yet to be identified.

This incident was followed by threats to theaters in California, Vancouver, and Taiwan, warning of bombs placed to disrupt upcoming performances unless Shen Yun was barred from performing.

“We randomly placed a lot of bombs in the theater,” said the email to the California theater. “If you don’t want us to detonate the bombs, please refuse Shen Yun Performing Arts to perform here immediately!”

Again, the sender used a Chinese name, but different from the one used in the threat to Dragon Springs.

Parallel to these threats, someone slashed the tires of two of Shen Yun’s tour buses in Costa Mesa, California. This method of sabotage has been repeated in both the United States and Canada, prompting the company to implement round-the-clock security measures for its vehicles.

Beginning on March 26, several more threats were sent over email in Chinese to Dragon Springs. One email read, “We will sneak into the Dragon Springs Temple in the Shawangunk Ridge, upstate New York, in the near future, shooting at whomever we see with guns and throwing grenades at crowds!”

Extensive Campaign Evinces CCP’s Fear of Shen Yun

“Shen Yun shows the world just how profound, inspiring, and magnificent authentic Chinese culture was before the CCP seized power, and for many, it offers a captivating vision of how wonderful China could be once again without the CCP,” said Shen Yun conductor Ms. Ying Chen. “This is the last thing the CCP wants demonstrated so clearly on stages around the world, and so for more than 15 years they have stopped at nothing to thwart Shen Yun everywhere we go.”

“First, they threatened governments to not allow Shen Yun. When that didn’t really work, they started threatening theaters. When that didn’t really work, they started slashing our bus tires…When that didn’t stop us, they started smear campaigns online and sent crazy emails to theater managers. Now, they have stooped even lower, sending emails threatening mass shootings and bombs to our headquarters and theaters.”

In January, the Falun Dafa Information Center published a report analyzing this nearly 20-year campaign to silence and malign Shen Yun. The report documented over 130 incidents of harassment, sabotage, disinformation, and physical attacks by Chinese officials or their proxies in 38 countries.

Indeed, at the forefront of the campaign to sabotage Shen Yun are Chinese diplomatic personnel positioned at PRC embassies and consulates around the world, who use disinformation, economic coercion, and other threats to pressure local theaters and governments to disallow Shen Yun performances. The scale of this diplomatic effort alone—evident in 81 of 135 documented incidents of interference—demonstrates the centrally directed and large-scale nature of Beijing’s campaign.