A New York arts group that has consistently faced pressure from Beijing performed to a full house in a southern California city after the venue received violent threats.
Shen Yun Performing Arts, a classical Chinese dance company that tours globally, received a bomb threat hours before its last performance at Pomona College’s Bridges Auditorium in Claremont, California. According to Shen Yun, part of its mission is to present thousands of years of traditional Chinese civilization that existed prior to the Chinese Communist Party’s takeover.
The threat email marked one of around 100 targeting the company since last year, aiming to disrupt Shen Yun’s performances. Both the White House and the State Department have condemned such actions against the group.
Claremont Colleges Campus Safety received the email just before 9 a.m. on March 30 and immediately evacuated the building, mimicking a scene at the John F. Kennedy Center weeks prior. The safety officers reported the incident to the city police and called in canine units to search for explosives,
Claremont Police Department told The Epoch Times. Ultimately, none were found.
Though the investigation delayed the performance by about 20 minutes, no theatergoers complained about the wait, staffers at the box office said.
In the packed theater, as the emcee thanked the audience for their patience, saying they’d remain steadfast amid the ongoing intimidation, the spectators broke into applause.