Bomb Threat Targets Church Screening of Film Exposing CCP’s Organ Harvesting

‘A Bomb Has Been Placed In The Church If The Event Is Not Canceled By Tomorrow Night ...’ reads the message aimed a organisers.

Poster for "State Organs." RooYee Films

A bomb threat has been delivered to organisers of a documentary screening exposing the CCP’s systemic organ harvesting of Falun Gong practitioners.

The screening of the award-winning State Organs is scheduled for Nov. 29 at the St John the Evangelist—Campbelltown in South Western Sydney.

The threat was delivered via digital platform Eventbrite, and threatened church organisers to cancel the event—and sever its relationship with Falun Gong—or a “bomb will be detonated.”

On Nov. 25, organisers were notified by Eventbrite of the message and told law enforcement had been notified.

“On Nov. 11, 2025, a user submitted the following threat through our platform: ‘A Bomb Has Been Placed In The Church If The Event Is Not Canceled By Tomorrow Night Cooperation With Falun Gong Is Not Terminated And A Statement Is Not Made Online The Bomb Will Be Detonated’”

“Eventbrite has notified local law enforcement in [New South Wales or NSW], Australia and shared details of the report, including the source information.

“We recommend contacting law enforcement directly if they have not already reached out to you regarding this matter. Additionally, consider informing your venue about this report so they can assess any security measures. We take all security reports seriously and are committed to supporting you.”

Eventbrite’s email to the event admin about the bomb threat on Nov. 25, 2025. Courtesy of organisers

While the threat may be poorly worded, it echoes similar incidents overseas linked to the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) transnational repression efforts targeting overseas dissidents and religious minorities, while interfering and hampering democratic institutions.

It has also been called a more “aggressive form of foreign interference” by the G7.

In February 2025, the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington D.C. was evacuated after a fake bomb threat targeted Shen Yun Performing Arts.

Shen Yun was founded in 2006 by practitioners of Falun Gong and displays classical Chinese dance and music from the era before the communist takeover.

Meanwhile, the documentary State Organs, which has screened multiple times across Australia this year, sheds light on the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) atrocity of harvesting organs from Uyghurs and practitioners of Falun Gong, which has been subjected to a 25-year persecution by the CCP.

St John the Evangelist Church—Campbelltown in south-west Sydney in Australia. Courtesy of Stacey Wang

This bomb threat marks one of the first instances where such a threat has occurred, not only against the screening, but against the Falun Gong community in Australia.

It also comes as the CCP’s third-highest-ranking official, Zhao Leji, completes his diplomatic tour of Australia, which has seen pro-CCP groups harassing Falun Gong protestors trying to hold the regime to account for its human rights abuses.

The Epoch Times understands that NSW Police have already searched St. John the Evangelist church and found no signs of explosive material. The Epoch Times has sought additional comment.

Further, it is understood local political representatives are appalled by the presence of such a threat in the area.

Fear and Reputational Risk for Those Who Dare Speak Up: Former AFP

Paul Johnstone, a former member of the Australian Federal Police (AFP), said such intimidation was aimed at creating fear and reputational risk for those considering discussing “sensitive” issues.

“These screenings … aim to highlight one of the most disturbing human-rights violations of the modern era. Yet the CCP views such events as a direct threat to its international image and uses a wide range of tactics to suppress them,” he told The Epoch Times.

“In Australia, organisers have reported pressure campaigns on venue owners, sudden booking cancellations, and coordinated harassment believed to be linked to CCP-aligned individuals or proxies … The intention is simple: create fear, financial burden, and reputational risk for anyone who dares to discuss topics the CCP labels ‘sensitive.’”

Former Chinese state journalist Cheng Lei has also shared concerns about the pervasive fear in Australian society when it comes to criticising the CCP or standing up for rights.

“Sometimes when I’m with Chinese Australians, there will be this [situation]: If we’re taking a group photo, a few will opt out because they say, ‘I’m going to China soon,’” Lei told an audience at the Gallery of Modern Art in Brisbane.

Meanwhile, Johnstone, who was formerly with the Australian Defence Force (ADF) and has lectured at Chinese universities on security, said intimidation was just one tool in the vast array of seemingly disparate methods used in the CCP’s transnational repression campaign.

“Tactics include online targeting, monitoring of diaspora communities, threats against activists’ family members in China, attempts to influence local politicians, and infiltration of community organisations,” he said.

“Many Chinese Australians, including Falun Gong practitioners, Uyghurs, Tibetans, and pro-democracy advocates, report being photographed at rallies, approached by suspicious individuals, or pressured through social connections not to participate in public discussions.”

Illustration by The Epoch Times, The Epoch Times, Getty Images

Why Australians Should Mobilise to Protect Falun Gong

The former ADF officer also explained why the CCP saw Falun Gong as a threat.

“In reality, Falun Gong threatens no one outside the CCP’s political hierarchy. The spiritual movement does not advocate violence, political overthrow, or social disruption. It does not threaten communities, governments, or individuals in Australia or any other democratic country,” said Johnstone.

“The only entity threatened by Falun Gong is the CCP itself, because the movement represents a large, independent civil organisation that the Party cannot control. Its popularity in the 1990s, combined with its message of moral autonomy, directly challenged the CCP’s monopoly on ideology and loyalty. This is why Beijing targets Falun Gong so aggressively, both domestically and abroad.”

Johnstone also explained why standing up for events like these hosted by Falun Gong practitioners was important.

“Defending these events is essential for protecting free speech, academic freedom, and the democratic right to openly discuss human-rights abuses, no matter how inconvenient these truths may be for the CCP,” he said.