The evacuation of the Prime Minister over a threat linked to a Shen Yun tour has drawn attention to the Falun Gong movement and its political evolution.

This week PM Anthony Albanese had to evacuate the Lodge, his official residence in Canberra, because of a threat linked to a proposed dance tour sponsored by Shen Yun. Shen Yun has been identified by the government of China as a terrorist organisation. Did the threat to the PM’s safety come from China or from pro-Beijing community groups? Little has been revealed by the authorities and it is surely too early to jump to conclusions.

Shen Yun (literally “spiritual rhythm”) is linked to the Falun Gong, a movement that originated in China in the late 1980s that is now based in the United States. It has morphed from a quasi-religious cult into a political movement closely aligned with US far right conservatism and was a major financial backer of Donald Trump’s election campaign. Its media voice, the Epoch Times, spruiks anti-China rhetoric, and its soft power outreach is led by Shen Yun, which claims to represent traditional Chinese culture that has been erased by the Chinese Communist Party.

In recent weeks, posters and advertisements for performances in Sydney, Melbourne and other cities in Australia........

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