WASHINGTON (WDCW) – The Kennedy Center was evacuated on Thursday after a bomb threat was reported at the venue, but an all-clear has since been issued, according to a representative.
The Metropolitan Police Department said the threat was reported just before 10:45 a.m. EST. The bomb threat, specifically, was targeted at the “Shen Yun performances,” the Kennedy Center said.
Shen Yun 2025, presented by the Falun Dafa Association of Washington D.C., opens its scheduled run at the Kennedy Center on Thursday. Performances run through March 2, according to the Kennedy Center’s official site.
The show’s performances will continue as planned, a representative for the Kennedy Center told Nexstar on Thursday afternoon.
United States Park Police and D.C. police responded to reports of a threat targeted at the Kennedy Center on Thursday morning. In response, the Metropolitan Area Transportation Operations Coordination said Rock Creek and Potomac Parkway between Virginia Avenue and Parkway Drive had been shut down in both directions due to police activity.
The public was encouraged to avoid the Kennedy Center area and follow police directions.
Also on Thursday, the United States Capitol Police said its officers were investigating a suspicious package at the U.S. Supreme Court. However, police confirmed that “nothing hazardous” was found and the scene was cleared.
Currently, it is unknown if these investigations are connected.
The Kennedy Center has been a topic of controversy in recent weeks, after President Trump announced he had taken over as director of the center’s board. Actor and producer Issa Rae, who had booked a sold out show at the venue, canceled her appearance and refunded tickets, citing what she perceived to be “an infringement on the values” of the institution. The Kennedy Center also canceled a Pride performance featuring the Gay Men’s Chorus of Washington, but claimed it was a financial and scheduling decision.
Trump, upon announcing the termination of the Kennedy Center’s board earlier this month, indicated that his decision to take over as chairman — at least in part — was fueled by his intentions to stop drag performances at the venue.
This is a developing story.