Shen Yun Takes the Stage to a Packed Audience in Southern California City Amid Bomb Threats
Theater attendees shared with The Epoch Times that the recent threats did not discourage them from attending the event.
A New York arts organization that has faced ongoing pressure from Beijing performed to a full house in a Southern California city, despite the venue receiving violent threats.
Shen Yun Performing Arts, a classical Chinese dance company that tours around the world, received a bomb threat just hours before its last performance at Pomona College’s Bridges Auditorium in Claremont, California. According to Shen Yun, part of its mission is to showcase thousands of years of traditional Chinese culture that existed prior to the Chinese Communist Party’s rule.
While the investigation caused a 20-minute delay in the performance, staff at the box office noted that no attendees complained about the wait.
In the crowded theater, the emcee expressed gratitude to the audience for their understanding, emphasizing their resilience amid ongoing intimidation. The crowd erupted into applause.
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Linda Ross, attending the show for the first time, expressed that it was an “honor” to witness the performance.
“It’s unfortunate that threats like this exist,” she told The Epoch Times while waiting to enter the auditorium, admitting she had heard about similar threats before attending the performance.
“This wouldn’t prevent me from wanting to see this show.”
John Garcia, who was standing next to her, remarked that the disruption did not bother him in the slightest.
Shen Yun is “a beautiful show,” he stated, adding that “they’re conveying a message” that “should not be silenced.”
Founded in upstate New York in 2006, Shen Yun maintains that the email threat was part of a campaign orchestrated by the CCP, following numerous other disruption attempts linked to the Chinese regime.
Show goers line up at Pomona College’s Bridges Auditorium ahead of a Shen Yun performance in Claremont, Calif., on March 30, 2025. The Epoch Times
Approximately an hour before the Claremont show was scheduled to commence, security personnel observed an Asian man with a camera around his neck. The man, dressed in black, was spotted across the street from the Shen Yun tour bus taking photos; he fled when approached by security.
The show organizers in Los Angeles indicated they are exploring legal options to respond to the threats.
Joseph Bodner, a retired detective sergeant from the nearby Redlands city, expressed his admiration for the performers’ artistry.
“It was just absolute precision,” he told The Epoch Times after the show. “I’ve never seen anything quite like that.”
In the conflict over values, Bodner remarked, bad actors often rely on intimidation through fear. However, he remains hopeful that “good will ultimately triumph over evil.”
Bill Petro, another attendee, expressed disbelief at how effective the intimidation tactics had come close to being.
“I can’t fathom how cruel people can be, but they will do anything to prevent this,” he told The Epoch Times, noting that the performance reveals the reality in China.
His main takeaway from the performance was the concept of freedom—the significance of “being free,” he stated.
The Los Angeles bureau of The Epoch Times contributed to this report.
