Over 20 Violent Threats Target Falun Gong, Shen Yun, and Elected Officials in March

Over the past year, at least 80 anonymous messages have threatened violence against Falun Gong practitioners, Shen Yun Performing Arts (a classical Chinese dance company founded by Falun Gong practitioners), and prominent individuals who support Falun Gong. This trend has continued in March 2025, targeting individuals and locations in the United States, Spain, Taiwan, and Canada.

As of March 20, the Falun Dafa Information Center (FDIC) had documented at least 23 threat incidents for the month. Of these, 78 percent (18 incidents) targeted Shen Yun, its headquarters, performers, or theaters hosting Shen Yun shows in various countries and multiple cities in the United States. The threats typically followed the same pattern observed since March 2024: the sender claimed to have placed bombs throughout the theater that would be detonated if the Shen Yun show proceeded. In some cases, the same email address and identical wording were used. To date, no violence at theaters or Shen Yun headquarters has actually occurred, indicating the messages are primarily aimed at intimidating performers and theaters, as well as disrupting performances and increasing costs.

Additionally, three death threats were reported against children and relatives of Falun Gong practitioners. Another death threat targeted Cheng Peiming, the first known survivor of Beijing’s forced organ harvesting practices, who now resides in the United States. Cheng reported a suspicious attempted break-in of his home in November 2024.

In addition to the Falun Gong community, some messages have threatened violence against U.S. and other elected officials. Notably, on March 2, a threat sent to an FDIC email threatened arson against Shen Yun’s headquarters as well as violence against U.S. President Donald Trump, warning that “there will come a time when we retaliate by shooting him or setting fire to one of his properties.” On March 13, the FDIC received another email threatening politicians, celebrities, and officials worldwide who support Falun Gong. The email stated:

“All politicians, celebrities, and officials from all over the world who support Falun Gong will soon meet with accidents. Their family members will also be in danger. Their homes will be burned by petrol bombs. Female family members will be gang-raped and killed! If you don’t believe it, just wait and see!”

The anonymous threats have all been reported to the relevant law enforcement agencies in various countries. To date, no acts of violence have occurred, and all threats have ultimately been proven to be false alarms. However, they have prompted increased precautions from law enforcement agencies and the Falun Gong community to ensure the safety of those targeted.

Chinese version: 三月份超過20起針對法輪功、神韻及民選官員的暴力威脅事件