A bomb threat targeting Shen Yun’s March 30 performance at Pomona College’s Big Bridges Auditorium triggered an emergency evacuation amid increased scrutiny of the controversial non-profit dance company. Authorities ultimately determined there to be no suspicious activity at the college, and the performance took place at its scheduled 2:00 p.m. time.
5C students received a Campus Safety alert warning them about a “building safety issue” at the auditorium prior to Shen Yun’s second day of performances at Pomona. The exact safety issue in the auditorium remained unspecified in the following notifications. However, an X post by Shen Yun on the same day said that a bomb threat had targeted the building.
The X post featured a video of dancer Jason Zhu evacuating the auditorium; the post also quoted Zhu, who said that it was the fifth threat to Shen Yun that he had witnessed. According to the Shen Yun-affiliated Falun Dafa Infocenter report, the company has received over 130 threats since 2007.
Shen Yun is a non-profit dance company that has been touring globally since the early 2000s. Known for what critics describe as its “ultra-conservative” practices and its strong opposition to the Chinese Communist Party, Shen Yun was banned from China in 1999.
Since then, it has faced significant criticism for its practices and messaging, most recently in a 2024 New York Times investigation that found the company employees to be working under abusive conditions.
When Pomona learned about the bomb threat before Shen Yun’s March 30 performance, the college took immediate action. According to Laura Muna-Landa, assistant vice president of communications and community relations for The Claremont Colleges Services, Campus Safety quickly enacted emergency protocols and began coordinating with the Claremont Police Department.
After reviewing security footage of the building, Campus Safety determined there to be no suspicious activity and concluded that there was no risk to people in the surrounding area. They did not notify students about what the suspected safety issue had been.
“This was part of a coordinated response to ensure safety while minimizing unnecessary alarm,” Muna-Landa said in a statement to TSL. “Consistent with standard emergency procedures, limited information was shared to reduce the risk of panic, prevent misinformation and allow authorities to complete their investigation without interference.”
Nora Wilcox PO ’28 said that she heard about the bomb threat through a fellow student, rather than through the college. She added that she understood why Pomona didn’t release any specifics during the investigation — especially after the recent swatting incident at Claremont McKenna College — but that there should be better forms of communication during situations like these.
“If there’s not actually a bomb, then that’s more unnecessary action,” she said. “But also, I think after the fact, I feel like there was some disconnect with how [Pomona] dealt with the situation, and how all the schools deal with this. I think there could be better forms of communication.”
Beyond raising concerns about campus security, Shen Yun’s visit to Pomona provoked student questions about the company’s practices and their place performing at the college.
“I do not agree with the philosophies of Shen Yun and what it represents, and what they stand for,” Wilcox said. “I’m just kind of conflicted because, yes, I think it’s totally uncool to have them perform on our campus — I don’t support them. I also feel like, if we’re in a space where we’re welcoming all perspectives, maybe in that way I can understand welcoming them on campus.”
Prior to hosting Shen Yun, Muna-Landa said that Pomona was aware of potential threats that the group could bring to campus and worked with Campus Safety to determine safety measures.
“In advance of the event, Campus Safety collaborated closely with Pomona College administration and Bridges Auditorium staff to assess potential security considerations related to hosting Shen Yun,” she said.
Pomona has not indicated whether it will host Shen Yun in the future in light of the controversy and threat.
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