New Wave of Threats in August Target Falun Gong and Supporters Worldwide

Between July 27 and Aug. 26, a series of violent threats, impersonation attempts, and intimidation incidents targeted Falun Gong practitioners and institutions associated with the community across North America, Europe, and Asia. The messages, often written in Chinese or disguised under false identities—including impersonating Falun Gong’s founder, affiliated organizations, and practitioners themselves—sought to implicate Falun Gong in terrorism, threaten its supporters, and disrupt civic spaces. The following are specific instances of these threats:

• On July 27, a hostile Chinese message was submitted through the Faluninfo.net contact form. The threat targeted Canadian officials, claiming: “Fires will break out in the residences of all Canadian dignitaries who support Falun Gong, and the brakes of their cars will fail while driving!”
• On Aug. 3, Taiwan’s National Police Agency received a bomb threat email sent to its minister’s mailbox, impersonating both Falun Gong’s founder Li Hongzhi and Fei Tian Academy of the Arts. The message claimed explosives had been placed in upstate New York and under a vehicle at Longquan Temple, threatening imminent detonation.
• On Aug. 6 and 9, two hostile messages were submitted through the Faluninfo.net contact form. The first insulted the Falun Dafa Information Center (FDIC) with smear language, while the second escalated to physical threats, warning staff to “watch your back in public.”
• On Aug. 11, a message impersonating the Tuidang office email threatened that explosives had been planted at Longquan Temple dormitories and demanded 8 million pounds by a 3 p.m. deadline.
• On Aug. 13, another message threatened that individuals “wearing Falun Gong clothing” would attack the White House with incendiary bombs, explosives, and random shootings.
• On Aug. 15, an email escalated further, threatening that on 9/11, someone impersonating a Falun Gong practitioner would hijack a passenger plane, livestream the attack, and crash it into the White House.
• On Aug. 18 and 20, two additional messages warned of terrorist attacks against Falun Gong parades and rallies worldwide, suggesting vehicle ramming, shootings, and pre-planted explosives.
• On Aug. 21, an unidentified caller phoned in a bomb threat to the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, D.C., falsely claiming to be a Falun Gong practitioner. The threat coincided with the opening of Catholic University of America’s orientation week, prompting a rapid law enforcement response. The university’s Provost Office later confirmed the threat was false.
• On Aug. 26, an anonymous Chinese comment warned: “Falun Gong members will be shot dead! All Falun Gong supporters worldwide will be attacked, with family members endangered, kidnapped and killed, gang-raped, homes set ablaze, or explosions occurring!”

These incidents bring the total number of hostile threats, impersonations, and intimidation cases documented against Falun Gong practitioners and affiliated institutions in August to at least 11 across three continents. While no physical violence occurred, the coordinated use of impersonation and escalating threats—including direct references to terrorism and U.S. landmarks—reflects a deliberate campaign to discredit Falun Gong, intimidate its members, and disrupt public life. All cases were reported to authorities and remain under review.

Since March 2024, a total of 171 documented death threats, bomb threats, impersonations, and intimidation incidents targeting Falun Gong practitioners and their supporters have been recorded worldwide, with the majority focused on U.S.-based individuals and institutions.

If you believe you have received a false message from someone claiming to be a Falun Gong practitioner, please alert us at [email protected].