Officials in Springfield, Ohio temporarily closed City Hall on Thursday because of bomb threats, the city said on its website.
The threats come amid increasing fear by Haitian immigrants of being targeted after former President Donald Trump and his vice president running mate JD Vance began promoting false claims about Haitians abducting wildlife and neighbor’s pets in the community and eating them.
The town’s city manager has said they have no reports corroborating social media rumors that have found traction among Trump supporters and Tesla founder Elon Musk.
The city said that the bomb threats was issued Thursday “to multiple facilities throughout Springfield” and media outlets. City officials were alerted to the threat via an email message at 8:24 am. Thursday morning, the city said. The bomb threats was issued “to multiple facilities throughout Springfield.”
“As a precautionary measure, the building has been evacuated, and authorities are currently conducting a thorough investigation,” the city said. “Our primary concern is the safety and well-being of our employees and residents. We are working to address this situation as swiftly as possible.”
A voice note from an online Haitian media outlet out of Springfield warned residents to remain vigilant and said the threats were also issued at several schools frequented by Haitian children.
Springfield has seen an influx of immigrants from Haiti in recent years due to its low cost of living and job opportunities. Contrary to what’s being portrayed by Trump supporters, many ended up there based on word of mouth from friends and relatives already in the city. They are also legally in the country, benefiting from temporary immigration protections the Biden administration recently granted due to the ongoing gang violence and humanitarian crisis in Haiti, or in the process of seeking asylum through the immigration courts.
Haitian-American elected officials as well as the Haitian Lawyers Association and the Haitian government have condemned the false claims while also showing solidarity with the Haitians in Springfield.
“Donald Trump is once again fixating on fictitious stories rooted in racist stereotypes in hopes of scaring Americans into voting for him,” said Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick, a South Florida Democrat who is the first Haitian American Democrat elected to the U.S. Congress.
She said Trump’s “outrageous comment about immigrants eating Springfield, Ohio, residents’ pets is nothing more than a desperate attempt to stoke fear and division. It’s insulting, it’s false, and it’s rooted in the worst kinds of stereotypes.”
“Haitians and other immigrants come to this country committed to education, hard work, and building a better life, not just for themselves but for all of us. They contribute to our economy, enrich our culture, and strengthen our communities,” she said. “Trump’s comments are a distraction from the real issues we face, and we won’t be fooled.”
Florida House Rep. Dotie Joseph, a North Miami Democrat, accused Vance, a fellow lawyer, of trying to use Haitians as a scapegoat. Both he and Trump, she said, owe the Haitian community, an apology.
“When you don’t have integrity, you don’t care about truth, you don’t care about the impact on people, and you just want attention,” she said.
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