Schools, government buildings closed as police sweep for explosives

A migrant pet-eating conspiracy highlighted by Donald Trump in this week’s presidential debate was mentioned in a bomb threat to Springfield, Ohio, the city’s Mayor said on Friday.

A man carries an AI-generated image of former US President and Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump carrying cats away from Haitian immigrants, a reference to falsehoods spread about Springfield, Ohio, during a campaign rally for Mr Trump at the Tucson Music Hall in Tucson, Arizona, September 12, 2024. (Photo by Rebecca NOBLE / AFP)

Government buildings and an elementary school in Springfield, Ohio were evacuated on Thursday after an emailed bomb threat, rattling the small US city at the heart of an anti-migrant conspiracy theory amplified by Donald Trump.

Springfield has been thrust into the spotlight after an unfounded story of Haitian migrants eating pets went viral on social media, with the Republican ex-president and current White House candidate pushing the narrative despite it being debunked.

Democrats have accused Mr Trump and his running mate, Ohio senator JD Vance, of fanning racial tensions by using the Springfield conspiracy theory to elevate immigration as an election campaign issue.

Mr Trump doubled down on the rhetoric during a campaign rally in Tucson, Arizona on Thursday, saying “migrants are walking off with the town’s geese”. Immediately after mentioning Springfield in his speech, Mr Trump added: “I’m angry about young American girls being raped and sodomised and murdered by savage criminal aliens”, though he provided no specific details.

Springfield authorities said there were no credible reports of pets being harmed by members of the immigrant community – accusations Mr Trump also repeated in his Wednesday debate against Democratic Vice-President and presidential candidate Kamala Harris.

The White House condemned the claims on Thursday as “filth” and said they were endangering people’s lives.

On Thursday, Springfield police said City Hall and several other government buildings had been evacuated after a bomb threat sent by email at 8.24am.

“Authorities investigated and cleared all facilities listed in the threat, with the assistance of explosive detecting canines,” police said.

Fulton Elementary School and Springfield Academy of Excellence were also listed in the threat and evacuated.

Arriving at the school to retrieve his child, Haitian immigrant Mackenso Roseme said the tensions in the community were “worrying”. “I’m a little stressed. I think something might happen,” he said. A sign in English, Spanish and Haitian Creole informed Mr Roseme and other parents that the students had been moved to a high school.

Mayor Rob Rue told the Springfield News-Sun the person who sent the bomb threat claimed to be from the city and mentioned Haitian immigration issues.

AFP