In Springfield, Ohio, local authorities are responding to bomb threats following false claims made by Republican candidate Donald Trump during a recent presidential debate. On Thursday, officials evacuated staff and closed the city hall building.
The Springfield city government announced via media outlets that city hall would close due to bomb threats directed at several facilities.
Springfield officials said they became aware of the bomb threat around 8:24 AM through an email sent to various city agencies and the media.
The city stated, “As a precautionary measure, the building has been evacuated, and authorities are currently conducting a thorough investigation.” They also urged residents to avoid the area around city hall while the investigation was taking place.
This incident in the small city of Springfield appears to stem from Trump’s comments during a presidential debate on Tuesday night. He claimed that the immigrants in Springfield are “eating dogs” and “eating the cats.” Springfield, a small town with a population of around 60,000, has seen a surge of about 15,000 Haitian immigrants in the past three years.
Springfield officials stated that they have never received credible reports of immigrants harming pets. In the wake of Trump’s remarks, many Haitian immigrants have expressed heightened fears for their safety, leading some families to keep their children home from school.
White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre condemned Trump’s remarks during a briefing, describing them as “spreading filth.” She emphasized that his statements posed a danger to the lives of residents, characterizing them as nothing more than “hate speech.”
