Authorities in the American town of Springfield They have ordered the evacuation of the town hall due to a bomb threat after the radical right and Donald Trump spread the hoax that Haitian migrants eat pets.
“Due to a bomb threat sent today to several agencies in Springfield, City Hall is closed,” reads the official Facebook account of this small town. town of 60,000 inhabitants located in the state of Ohio (northeast).
Since Monday, the city has been the scene of a controversy that falsely claims that Haitian migrants attack dogs and cats to eat them.
The local police have categorically denied this, as have numerous fact-checking outlets, such as AFP. But The Republican candidate has repeated it several times since Tuesday, when he mentioned it during the televised debate against his electoral rival, Vice President Kamala Harris.
The White House denounced a “conspiracy theory (…) with racist roots.” “These kinds of statements, this kind of misinformation is dangerous, because some people are going to believe it, no matter how absurd and stupid it is, and they might react in a way that could cause injuries,” it said on Tuesday. John Kirby, spokesperson for the Council of National security of the executive.
“It is the spread of filth (…) that puts lives at risk” in “the communities that are being defamed,” said White House spokeswoman Karine Jean-Pierre on Thursday.
The case is fuelling tension and confusion in Springfield, AFP journalists have noted.
Upon hearing the news of the bomb threat, Mackenso Roseme, a Haitian immigrant, left his job at an Amazon warehouse in nearby Dayton and headed to his son’s school.
There he found a sign that said in English, Spanish and Creole that the children had been evacuated to the institute.
“The current situation is really worrying,” he told AFP. “I’m a bit stressed. I think something might happen.”
The anti-Haitian accusations in Springfield appear to have stemmed from a simple Facebook post, purportedly from a Springfield resident, quoting a friend of the resident’s daughter, who said her neighbors – presumably Haitians – were trying to eat her cat.
Despite the highly dubious nature of the rumour, Donald Trump and his entourage do not seem willing to retract their claims.
“Ohio is flooded with undocumented migrants, most of them from Haiti, who are taking over cities and towns at a rate never seen before,” the Republican candidate wrote again on his social network Truth on Thursday.
In Springfield, a group of clergy are promoting initiatives to reduce tension.
On Thursday, they called a press conference in which they prayed together, with their hands clasped and calling for unity.
“There were things happening today, threats of violence,” Wes Babian, a former pastor at a local Baptist church, told AFP.
What led to the bomb threat that evacuated Springfield City Hall and schools in Ohio?
Table of Contents
Bomb Threat Rocks Springfield, Ohio, Amid Rising Tensions Over False Claims Against Haitian Migrants
In a shocking turn of events, authorities in Springfield, Ohio, have ordered the evacuation of City Hall due to a bomb threat, following the spread of a baseless and racist conspiracy theory that Haitian migrants eat pets. The small town of 60,000 inhabitants, located in the northeastern state of Ohio, has been at the center of controversy since Monday, with the local police and fact-checking outlets, such as AFP, categorically denying the false claims [[1]].
The controversy escalated after Republican candidate Donald Trump repeated the hoax during a televised debate against his electoral rival, Vice President Kamala Harris, on Tuesday [[2]]. Despite being denounced as a “conspiracy theory with racist roots” by the White House, Trump and his entourage have refused to retract their claims, fuelling tension and confusion in Springfield [[3]].
The situation came to a head on Thursday when a bomb threat was sent to multiple agencies in Springfield, prompting the evacuation of City Hall, schools, and county offices [[2]]. Parents were left scrambling to pick up their children from school, while authorities worked to investigate the threat.
For Haitian immigrants like Mackenso Roseme, the situation is increasingly worrying. Upon hearing the news of the bomb threat, Roseme left his job at an Amazon warehouse in nearby Dayton and rushed to his son’s school, where he found a sign indicating that the children had been evacuated to a safe location [[1]].
“The current situation is really worrying,” Roseme told AFP. “I’m a bit stressed. I think something might happen.”
The tensions in Springfield have been building since a false Facebook post claimed that Haitian migrants were attacking dogs and cats to eat them. Despite the highly dubious nature of the rumor, it has been perpetuated by Donald Trump and his supporters, sparking fears of violence and discrimination against the Haitian community.
As the White House spokeswoman Karine Jean-Pierre said, “It is the spread of filth (…) that puts lives at risk” in “the communities that are being defamed” [[1]].
The incident highlights the dangers of spreading misinformation and hateful rhetoric, which can have serious consequences for marginalized communities. As the situation in Springfield continues to unfold, it remains to be seen how authorities will address the root causes of the tensions and ensure the safety and well-being of all residents, regardless of their national origin.
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What triggered the bomb threat evacuation in Springfield, Ohio, and how is it connected to false claims against Haitian migrants?
Bomb Threat Rocks Springfield, Ohio, Amid Rising Tensions Over False Claims Against Haitian Migrants
In a shocking turn of events, authorities in Springfield, Ohio, have ordered the evacuation of City Hall due to a bomb threat, following the spread of a baseless and racist conspiracy theory that Haitian migrants eat pets. The small town of 60,000 inhabitants, located in the northeastern state of Ohio, has been at the center of controversy since Monday, with the local police and fact-checking outlets, such as AFP, categorically denying the false claims [[1]].
The controversy escalated after Republican candidate Donald Trump repeated the hoax during a televised debate against his electoral rival, Vice President Kamala Harris, on Tuesday [[2]]. Despite being denounced as a “conspiracy theory with racist roots” by the White House, Trump and his entourage have refused to retract their claims, fuelling tension and confusion in Springfield [[3]].
The situation came to a head on Thursday when a bomb threat was sent to multiple agencies in Springfield, prompting the evacuation of City Hall, schools, and county offices [[2]]. Parents were left scrambling to pick up their children from school, while authorities worked to investigate the threat.
For Haitian immigrants like Mackenso Roseme, the situation is increasingly worrying. Upon hearing the news of the bomb threat, Roseme left his job at an Amazon warehouse in nearby Dayton and rushed to his son’s school, where he found a sign indicating that the children had been evacuated to a safe location [[1]].
“The current situation is really worrying,” Roseme told AFP. “I’m a bit stressed. I think something might happen.”
The tensions in Springfield have been building since a false Facebook post claimed that Haitian migrants were attacking dogs and cats to eat them. Despite the highly dubious nature of the rumor, it has been perpetuated by Donald Trump and his supporters, sparking fears of violence and discrimination against the Haitian community.
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