Security Threat Linked to Chinese Dance Group Forces Bomb Scare at Australian PM’s Residence

Published: 25 February 2026 . The English Chronicle Desk. The English Chronicle Online

Australian authorities responded to a bomb threat on Tuesday evening that forced Prime Minister Anthony Albanese to be evacuated from The Lodge, his official residence in Canberra, as investigators examined whether the threat was linked to opposition against an upcoming tour by a Chinese dance company. Federal police later confirmed there was no ongoing danger, but the incident has heightened concerns over politically motivated threats.

The security incident began at around 6 pm when the Australian Federal Police (AFP) were alerted to a threatening message that referenced a cultural performance by Shen Yun Performing Arts, a classical Chinese dance and music troupe that is banned in the People’s Republic of China and scheduled to tour Australian cities this month. The AFP conducted a thorough search of The Lodge and found no explosives or suspicious devices, concluding that “there is no current threat to the community or public safety.”

State broadcaster ABC News and other local outlets reported that the message, written in Chinese, falsely claimed that “large quantities of nitroglycerine explosives” had been placed around Albanese’s residence and threatened serious violence if Shen Yun’s performances went ahead. The threatening language included warnings that The Lodge would be “blown into ruins” and invoked imagery of “blood flowing like a river.” The email was reportedly sent to local organisers of the Shen Yun shows, who then alerted authorities.

The AFP declined to comment on who sent the threat, and there has been no official attribution to any individual or foreign actor. Shen Yun, based in New York and associated with the spiritual practice Falun Gong, did not immediately respond to requests for comment, according to Reuters reporting. The troupe’s shows have long been controversial in some quarters because they highlight themes such as persecution in China and are criticised by Chinese diplomatic missions, which have sought to discourage attendance at performances.

In the aftermath, Albanese addressed the situation publicly, urging Australians to “turn the heat down” in public discourse and emphasising that national security measures remain robust. He thanked the AFP and other emergency services for their response and stressed that officials are not treating the matter as an active threat after the all‑clear was issued.

Australia has seen a rise in threats against politicians and public figures in recent years, and this incident underscores ongoing challenges in balancing freedom of expression, cultural exchanges and security. While the bomb scare did not result in harm, it has prompted renewed focus on the intensity of threats tied to politicised cultural issues and the need for vigilance among organisers and law enforcement alike.

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