Springfield City Hall Evacuates Amid Pet-Eating Conspiracy Theories

A bomb threat has been issued across “multiple facilities” in Springfield, Ohio Thursday morning, prompting the evacuation of city hall, according to the city commission office. The threats, which were sent through email, come amid viral, false rumors circulating online, claiming that Haitian immigrants in the city are eating people’s pets—a lie that former President Donald Trump reiterated during Tuesday night’s presidential debate.

Officials say it is not known if the rumors and threats are connected, but on Thursday, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio Cortez said that while the public awaits confirmation about the reason behind the threat, right-wing rhetoric attacking immigrants is part of a larger pattern Republicans use that can lead to material consequences against marginalized communities. 

Ocasio Cortez referenced a 2022 telephonic bomb threat against a Boston hospital that launched a healthcare program focused on transgender and gender-diverse youth as evidence. 

“There is a pattern of bomb threats, of mass shootings and of other violent targeting of these communities, and so when J.D. Vance or when Donald Trump intentionally distribute incredibly malicious and disgusting claims like about eating pets, etc, they are engaged in something that is more than just a harmful statement," Ocasio Cortez told the press Thursday.

Anywhere from around 15,000 to 20,000 Haitians have arrived in the city of Springfield, many with temporary protective status, due to ongoing conflict in the Caribbean  country. Advocacy organizations, such as the Haitian Bridge Alliance, attacked the remarks made by Republican politicians and urged J.D. Vance, who represents Ohio and also spread claims about eating pets, to retract his statements. 

Regional and local law enforcement are immediately responding to the threat, and authorities are currently investigating the matter, the city commission office said Thursday morning. The city hall building has been evacuated since receiving a threat via email around 8:24 a.m. local time.

The public was asked to avoid the vicinity of the city hall and report any “suspicious activity” to the Springfield Police Division. 

"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," the city commissioners office said Thursday.