Anthony Albanese was evacuated from his official Canberra residence on Tuesday night as police responded to a bomb threat made against him in relation to upcoming performances of the Chinese group Shen Yun.
A spokesperson for Falun Dafa – a group associated with Shen Yun – told Guardian Australia that one of their colleagues had received two threats in recent weeks, written in Chinese, threatening harm against Albanese if the performances went ahead. The threats, the second of which was received this week, were reported to the Australian Federal Police and are thought to have been the reason for the prime minister to be evacuated from the Lodge and the house to be searched by officers.
In circumstances minister Katy Gallagher called “extraordinary” and potentially unprecedented, Albanese was moved from The Lodge to another location at about 6pm while an investigation was carried out. He was able to return after 9pm once a search had been completed.
Shen Yun, a classical dance performance group which is banned in China, will begin an Australian tour on the Gold Coast on Wednesday. It is associated with the spiritual movement Falun Dafa, also known as Falun Gong, which is also banned in China and is strongly outspoken against the Chinese communist party.
A spokesperson for Falun Dafa claimed one of their colleagues had received one threat about a fortnight ago, and another this week, demanding Shen Yun’s performances be cancelled and threatening harm against Albanese if the concerts went ahead.
The ABC and the Epoch Times reported the emails falsely claimed “Large quantities of nitroglycerin explosives have been placed around the Australian prime minister’s Lodge”, and that the Lodge “will be blown into ruins”.
The AFP was contacted for comment, as was Albanese’s office. A police spokesperson said on Tuesday night they were alerted to an alleged security incident at the property, near Parliament House.
Guardian Australia was told it involved the threat of an explosive.
“A thorough search of a protection establishment was undertaken and nothing suspicious was located,” a statement said. “There is no current threat to the community or public safety.”
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The AFP said early Wednesday morning there were no updates on the incident, while Albanese’s office referred enquiries to the AFP. There were a small number of AFP vehicles outside the Lodge in the morning, along with a number of journalists, but no other visible signs of the Tuesday night incident.
“We trust the AFP to do their jobs and thank them for their work,” a spokesperson for the prime minister said.
In his first public comments after the incident, he posted a photo of his dog Toto to social media on Wednesday morning, joking: “Toto on alert but all good.”
“Thanks to AFP for your ongoing work and professionalism and to people who sent kind messages of care and support,” he said.
Finance minister Gallagher, one of Albanese’s trusted inner circle, confirmed on the ABC that a “security incident” at the Lodge had required Albanese to leave for several hours and for a police search to be conducted, but that he was allowed to return later in the evening.
“Very troubling circumstances. From our point of view, and [as] the prime minister has been saying months, we need to take temperature down,” Gallagher told ABC TV on Wednesday morning.
“We’ve seen in other countries there is political violence and threats against politicians, but here in Australia, we’re lucky able to get around and mix with the community and operate safely. But this is just another reminder that there are threats out there and where there are threats, the police will take them seriously.”
Gallagher called the events of Tuesday night “extraordinary” and said she was not aware of a similar security threat having forced a prime minister to evacuate the Lodge before.
She said the events were a moment to reflect on the need for Australians to “peacefully make your point” rather than opt for violent threats.
“I can say that certainly, in my time in politics, I haven’t experienced some of the turbulence and some of the push against politicians at the moment. I think certainly the online world is alive and flourishing,” she said.
“This happens not just to government members, it’s across the parliament, where some politicians are subjected to just unbelievable threats against their safety. We are well-supported by the police. But it is troubling and I think for all of us, everybody has the right to work and be safe, and that’s no different for politicians.”
“There are ways to disagree with people without sending death threats [or threats of] other violence that they want to perpetrate against another individual.”
In a post on social media, the opposition leader, Angus Taylor, said he was pleased to hear Albanese was safe after the threat.
“Threats against any parliamentarian are utterly abhorrent, especially in a country built on expressing our differences through debate,” he wrote on X.
Greens leader Larissa Waters said she was pleased Albanese was safe, but raised alarm about rising threats to politicians.
“The prime minister being evacuated from his residence in Canberra due to a bomb threat overnight is shocking, I am glad he is safe and well,” Waters said on X.
“The recent escalation of threats against parliamentarians must be called out. Violence has no place in our democracy.”
Albanese and other federal MPs have faced a number of security threats in recent months. The prime minister has had a more visible than usual security presence at recent events.
In October last year, the AFP commissioner, Krissy Barrett, announced the establishment of new national security investigations teams to deal with threats, including the targeting of federal politicians.
More than 20 people have already been charged since late last year in relation to those threats, Barrett said earlier this month.
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