Were there bomb threats against Shen Yun performances?

Yes. UNBROKEN documents confirmed bomb threats at the Kennedy Center, threats to shoot up performances, bomb threats targeting shows in Taiwan, and an email in Chinese threatening an attack if Shen Yun performed in Atlanta.

The Kennedy Center bomb threat forced an evacuation, confirmed in news footage shown in the documentary. Leeshai Lemish presents a graph tracking threats by month, showing escalation from six in March to twenty-two in February during peak touring season.

The organization has compiled approximately 140 documented cases of CCP interference against Shen Yun. The threats documented in UNBROKEN represent a pattern, not isolated incidents.

Were the bomb threats traced to China?

Taiwanese authorities traced bomb threats targeting Shen Yun performances in Taiwan to an area around a Huawei research center in China. Levi Browde describes this as smoking gun evidence in the documentary.

When bomb threats hit the Taiwan tour, Levi Browde flew to Taipei. The Taiwanese Criminal Investigation Bureau traced the threats to mainland China, specifically to the vicinity of a Huawei research center. Given Huawei's documented ties to the Chinese military, this trace connects the threats to state-linked infrastructure.

Before this trace, the organization described having circumstantial evidence of CCP involvement. The Taiwan discovery changed that calculus. As Browde says in the film: We now had the hard evidence.

What other physical threats does UNBROKEN document?

The documentary presents evidence of tire slashings designed to cause highway blowouts on buses carrying forty performers, death threats sent to Levi Browde personally, and an email threatening to kidnap children of Falun Gong members under ten.

Leeshai Lemish shows photographic evidence of the tire slashing from Costa Mesa, California. This is not a normal cut, he says. This was done specifically with the purpose of the tire exploding on the highway. He characterizes it as an attempt on people's lives.

The threat targeting children — sent simultaneously to Shen Yun headquarters and Fei Tian schools — describes violence in graphic terms. Lemish, a father of two young daughters, struggles visibly while reading it on camera.

How do Shen Yun performers respond to the threats?

The documentary shows performers continuing to tour and perform despite the documented threats. Security teams with bomb-sniffing dogs search theaters before shows. The performers complete their season.

Lucas and Jesse Browde describe seeing dogs and flashlights going through theater seats before curtain. The security reality is now routine for Shen Yun tours.

Despite these conditions, Lucas says in the documentary: We almost could not wait to go on tour. Jesse adds: We are defending those we love. The documentary presents a community that responds to escalating threats not by retreating but by performing with greater determination.

Key takeaways

• UNBROKEN documents approximately 140 cases of CCP interference against Shen Yun.
• Confirmed bomb threats include the Kennedy Center evacuation.
• Taiwanese authorities traced bomb threats to an area near a Huawei research center in China.
• Tire slashings on tour buses were designed to cause highway blowouts carrying forty performers.
• Death threats targeted Levi Browde personally and threatened children under ten.
• Shen Yun performers continue touring with bomb-sniffing dogs searching theaters before shows.

Frequently asked questions

How many documented threats has Shen Yun received?

Leeshai Lemish states in UNBROKEN that the organization has compiled approximately 140 cases with evidence of the Chinese Communist Party targeting Shen Yun. The documentary presents a graph showing threats escalating from single digits to over twenty per month during peak touring season.

Did authorities confirm the bomb threats were connected to China?

Taiwanese authorities traced bomb threats targeting Shen Yun's Taiwan performances to an area around a Huawei research center in mainland China. This is the specific trace that Levi Browde describes as smoking gun evidence in the documentary.

Are Shen Yun performances safe to attend?

Shen Yun performances include security measures documented in UNBROKEN, including teams searching theaters before shows. The organization continues to perform worldwide despite documented threats. Specific security arrangements vary by venue.

The threat documentation in UNBROKEN is extensive and ongoing. The official website provides additional context about the security reality and the organization's response.

Watch UNBROKEN to see the documented evidence of threats against Shen Yun — and the performers' response.