A bomb threat targeting the official residence of Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese was triggered by written warnings directed at Shen Yun Performing Arts, a dance and music troupe banned in China.
According to emails obtained by local Australian media and the BBC, Shen Yun performers received threats demanding they cancel their upcoming shows in Australia, or explosives would be detonated at The Lodge, the Prime Minister’s official residence in Canberra. One email, written in Chinese, claimed that large quantities of nitroglycerin had been placed around the property, warning: “If you insist on performing, The Lodge will be reduced to rubble and blood will flow like a river.”
Albanese was evacuated from the residence at 6:00 PM local time on Tuesday, February 24, and relocated for several hours. Authorities confirmed they responded to an “alleged security incident” at The Lodge but said “no suspicious items were found.” The Australian Federal Police declined to comment on the specific emails.
Shen Yun, founded by the Falun Gong spiritual movement — which has been banned in China since 1999 — said it would proceed with its Australian performances as scheduled and urged the Australian government to conduct a thorough investigation. The group also noted it had faced dozens of threats during global performances over the past two years.
The incident follows a similar threat in the United States before, which led to the evacuation of the Kennedy Center in Washington D.C., also reportedly targeting a Shen Yun performance.
On Wednesday morning, Albanese posted on social media thanking police and well-wishers, sharing a photo of his dog Toto at the door, writing: “Toto is on guard, but all is well.”
Source: BBC Chinese, February 26, 2026
https://www.bbc.com/zhongwen/articles/c8egxg8p5g6o/simp