New Threats, Physical Intimidation, and Cyberattack Target Falun Gong and U.S. Institution (Oct. 1 – 16)

Between Oct. 1 and Oct. 16, Falun Gong practitioners, related organizations, and even the U. S. president’s residence were targeted in a concentrated series of harassment and cyber-incidents worldwide. The campaign included impersonated violent threats, in-person physical intimidation, and a large-scale cyberattack against the Falun Dafa Information Center (FDIC) website.

Anonymous death threats

A wave of anonymous threats—many sent via online contact forms using forged sender identities—targeted Falun Gong events and media offices in Taipei, Taiwan, and Orange County, New York. The messages impersonated Shen Yun performers, Falun Gong practitioners, Falun Gong’s founder and his relatives, and media editors, issuing explicit threats of shootings, bombings, arson, and murder.

• On Oct. 1, a message impersonating a Shen Yun principal dancer was submitted to the Taiwan National Police Agency (NPA), warning that screenings of the documentary State Organs “would be subject to attack.” The note added, “Do not assume that we would not dare … Do not regret when attacks happen!” State Organs exposes the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) forced organ harvesting of Falun Gong practitioners and other prisoners of conscience.

• On Oct. 2, a message to FDIC official website, using the forged address [email protected] and impersonating Mr. Li Hongzhi, Falun Gong’s founder, threatened: “I will come to the temple of Dragon Springs soon and shoot anyone I see.”

• On Oct. 5, fake emails sent to Fei Tian College and Shen Yun Performing Arts threatened to plant a bomb at Mar-a-Lago and “shoot and kill everyone in the vicinity,” falsely claiming the act would be broadcast on one news outlet platform founded by practitioners.

• On Oct. 7, a threat impersonating a Chinese dissident declared that the Dragon Springs Temple would be attacked with shootings and gas bombs.

• On Oct. 9, a submission impersonating a Falun Gong practitioner threatened random murder and robbery on Taiwan’s National Day, stating that Falun Gong clothing and books would be left at the scene to frame Falun Gong. The message stated, “A random household in Taipei will be chosen, entered, robbed, and murdered … Wait for death.”

• On Oct. 15 and 16, multiple bomb and shooting threats, impersonating media staff and relatives of Falun Gong’s founder, were sent to Taiwan’s NPA, falsely claiming explosives were planted at Epoch Times offices. The threats triggered evacuations and police inspections, later confirmed to be hoaxes.

These incidents bring the total of anonymous death threats targeting or impersonating Falun Gong since March 2024 to 193. While no actual violence occurred, the threats reflect ongoing efforts to intimidate and discredit Falun Gong. All incidents have been reported to law enforcement and are under investigation.

Physical harassment

On the afternoon of Oct. 2, a Chinese man harassed Falun Gong practitioners at the information site outside the Chinese Consulate’s visa office in Toronto, Canada (393 University Avenue).

The man about 50 years old and holding a CCP flag and a stick, destroyed display boards condemning the persecution of Falun Gong, shouting profanities. When a practitioner tried to calm him, he threw the stick at her and waved the flag aggressively over the group, continuing to curse and shout in defense of the Party.

The man was eventually stopped by passersby and security personnel and left the scene. The incident has since been reported to the police.

This violent outburst underscores the real-world risks and hostility Falun Gong practitioners face during peaceful awareness activities.

Cyberattack

On Oct. 15, the FDIC official website (faluninfo.net) suffered a massive cyberattack between 1:30 a.m. and 12:00 p.m. ET. Two main IP addresses reportedly generated roughly 2.49 million and 891,000 requests each. 

Preliminary traces linked some activity to servers in Australia, though attackers likely used VPNs and anonymizing tools to conceal their origins.

The attack added to concerns amid the ongoing wave of impersonated threats. The website was unaffected by these attacks.