In a case that’s raising alarm over artistic freedom and foreign interference, organizers of Shen Yun Performing Arts held a press conference on April 2 in downtown Toronto following the cancellation of six scheduled performances at the Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts.
The cancellations came after a bomb threat, later confirmed by police to be unfounded, prompted the venue to shut down performances, affecting nearly 10,000 ticket holders.
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A hoax threat with real consequences
According to organizers, the theater received an email on March 29 written in Swedish and sent from a China-linked Gmail account, claiming explosives had been planted at both the venue and Parliament Hill. Authorities evacuated the building and launched a full investigation. Police later confirmed the threat was “unfounded” and classified it as a “hoax,” with no explosives or suspicious items discovered.
Despite this, the venue canceled the March 29 matinee performance and subsequently all remaining shows scheduled from April 1 to April 5, citing unspecified “escalated threats.” Organizers stated these additional threats were never shared with them, and Toronto police confirmed no further reports had been filed after the initial incident.
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Initially, the venue had agreed on March 30 to proceed with the remaining shows under heightened security measures, including K-9 units and enhanced screening protocols. However, the abrupt reversal on March 31 left organizers and audiences stunned.
‘Part of a systematic campaign’
Joel Chipkar, spokesperson for the Toronto Falun Dafa Association, described the threats as part of a broader effort by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) to suppress Shen Yun globally.
“Shen Yun presents China before communism and exposes ongoing human rights violations in China,” he said. Over the past two years, he noted, multiple similar threats across Canada, including in Vancouver, Mississauga, and Kitchener, were all investigated and deemed baseless, allowing performances to proceed safely.
Globally, more than 150 such incidents have been documented. Some have reportedly been traced back to China, including coordinated cyber activities. Chipkar also referenced a case in Taiwan where authorities linked similar threats to a facility in Xi’an.
“This incident goes far beyond stopping a performance,” said Chipkar. “It raises serious concerns about whether foreign actors can influence what Canadians are allowed to see and who is permitted to speak.” He also urged the Canadian government to publicly condemn what he called acts of intimidation and defend artistic expression as a core democratic value.
Artists share personal stories of persecution
Several Shen Yun performers shared deeply personal accounts of persecution tied to their families’ faith in Falun Gong. Many of Shen Yun’s performers and staff are practitioners of Falun Gong, a traditional Chinese spiritual discipline also known as Falun Dafa. The faith was immensely popular in China prior to being banned and subject to severe repression by the CCP starting in 1999.
Host Nancy Zhang recounted how her mother was imprisoned for three years when Zhang was just eight years old. “I will never forget the day my mother was taken away,” she said. “After school, I watched my classmates leave one by one with their parents. I waited until dark before my aunt came to pick me up.”
She described years of family separation, her grandfather’s death while her mother remained imprisoned, and continued harassment by authorities. “For a child, this fear became normal—but it should never have been.”
Musician Lehan Wang shared a similar experience. Her mother was sentenced to seven years in prison, and her uncle to fourteen. “When my mother was released, I felt lost,” she said. “I knew she was my mother, but she felt like a stranger.”
Musician Jason Shen recalled being detained twice in China, including a five-year imprisonment beginning in 2002. “This is not just persecution of Shen Yun,” he said after the press conference. “It is a direct challenge to Canada as a sovereign, free, and democratic nation.”
Lead dancer Jared Ren added that such repression continues today. “These persecutions are not history, they are ongoing reality,” he said, warning that intimidation tactics have now extended beyond China’s borders.
Escalating threats
Prominent Chinese democracy activist Sheng Xue revealed that her identity had been used in multiple bomb threat emails targeting Shen Yun and other locations. “Just like last year, many emails were sent in my name threatening theaters with bombs,” she said. “I love Shen Yun, but someone impersonated my email to send these threats, not just targeting Shen Yun, but also private residences and airports in Taiwan.”
She disclosed that Canadian police had visited her home following threats sent to the U.S. Congress under her name. “This is not just harassment, it is a coordinated attempt to create fear and chaos,” she said.
Sheng called on ticket holders to write to the theater, lawmakers, and the prime minister’s office. “We cannot allow such bottomless intimidation tactics to succeed in a free and democratic country like Canada.”
Political leaders respond
Canadian lawmakers across the political spectrum condemned the incident. Conservative MP Garnett Genuis said he was “shocked” by the cancellations. “Canada must firmly defend artistic expression. The show must go on,” he stated.
MP James Bezan described the threat as “an attack on fundamental freedoms, including freedom of speech and conscience.” Meanwhile, MP Chris Warkentin called the situation a “wake-up call” for the Canadian government, urging stronger action against foreign interference. Others, including publisher Dean Baxendale and former minister Peter Kent, criticized the cancellations as a troubling precedent that could embolden further intimidation.
The incident has sparked nationwide debate over how democracies should respond to threats, real or fabricated, when they intersect with foreign political pressure.
Despite the cancellations, Shen Yun’s global tour continues. In its 20th anniversary year, the company plans approximately 800 performances across 200 cities worldwide. As Jason Shen emphasized: “As long as the persecution of Falun Gong continues, Shen Yun will keep performing. We will not back down because this is not just art; it is a voice for those who cannot speak.”
