Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese called for calm on Wednesday after being evacuated from his residence in Canberra due to a bomb threat. Authorities later confirmed no explosives were found.
Albanese was evacuated late Tuesday from The Lodge, his official Canberra residence, after authorities received a security alert. He returned safely a few hours later once police confirmed there was no ongoing threat.
“I think it's just a reminder, take every opportunity to tell people, turn the heat down for goodness sake,” Albanese said at an event in Melbourne. “We can't take these things for granted.”
Threat linked to Shen Yun performance
State broadcaster ABC reported the false threat was connected to Shen Yun, a New York-based classical Chinese dance company banned in China.
Local organisers of Shen Yun were sent a message falsely claiming explosives had been placed near Albanese’s residence, set to detonate if the troupe performed in Australia this month.
Police declined to comment on the source of the threat, and Shen Yun has not responded to requests for comment.
Earlier Wednesday, Albanese shared an Instagram post showing his dog at The Lodge, thanking police for their work in responding to the threat.
The Prime Minister’s message underlined the importance of maintaining calm and avoiding unnecessary escalation in politically sensitive situations.
