A sold-out Al Shami concert in Chicago’s Northwest Side was abruptly canceled on December 6 following a fake bomb threat at the Patio Theater. The incident has drawn attention to ongoing social media campaigns targeting Middle Eastern businesses in the area.
Hours before the event, a woman allegedly entered the theater with a box, claiming it was a bomb. Police evacuated the venue, later determining the package posed no threat. The suspect, 35-year-old Joanna Aguilar, was arrested and charged with making a false bomb threat.
The concert promoter, Thaer Jbara of Al Keif Entertainment, revealed that he had reported online threats targeting the event weeks in advance. He described a campaign of harassment against Middle Eastern business owners in Chicago and across the U.S., with social media posts calling for violence and boycotts.
Jbara shared disturbing TikTok videos, including one in Arabic that encouraged setting the venue on fire during the concert. Despite filing complaints with law enforcement and the FBI, Jbara said no action was taken, with the FBI finding no credible evidence of a planned attack.
The concert’s cancellation resulted in a $150,000 loss for Jbara, who has been a U.S. citizen for 17 years. He expressed concern for other Middle Eastern business owners facing similar threats and urged law enforcement to take the matter seriously.
“These people think we are traitors,” Jbara said. “We need help, especially Middle Eastern business owners. This isn’t going to stop.”
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