Around 19 Jewish Community Centers (JCCs) across the United States faced bomb threats on Feb. 23, officials said, resulting in one of them being evacuated.
NBC New York reported that more than 100 people were evacuated from the Albany JCC as a precaution after it received an email of an anonymous bomb threat. Law enforcement inspected the JCC for any suspicious items and declared it safe.
New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, a Democrat, told reporters later in the day that 19 JCCs received similar bomb threats, 18 of which were in New York.
“You have your children in a class in the building and they say there is a bomb threat — that is terror,” Cuomo said. “And that is what they are trying to do, they are trying to create that terror. We can’t let them.”
He added that there have been 42 anti-Semitic incidents in New York over the past couple of months.
The New York governor also tweeted: “NY has zero tolerance for anti-Semitism — we won’t let hate & fear win.”
Bomb threats were made by email today against multiple Jewish Community Centers across NY.
At @AlbanyJCC, police evacuated the building, then declared it safe. An investigation into the threats is ongoing.
NY has zero tolerance for anti-Semitism — we won't let hate & fear win. pic.twitter.com/6ItIzr7U5s
— Archive: Governor Andrew Cuomo (@NYGovCuomo) February 23, 2020
Anti-Defamation League CEO Jonathan Greenblatt tweeted, “#Antisemitism continues to plague NY. Sad sign of the times that bomb threats were emailed to 19 JCCs across the state in recent days. @ADL_NYNJ is responding, and thanks to @NewYorkFBI, @NYPDNews & all in law enforcement for investigating & protecting our communities.”
#Antisemitism continues to plague NY. Sad sign of the times that bomb threats were emailed to 19 JCCs across the state in recent days. @ADL_NYNJ is responding, and thanks to @NewYorkFBI, @NYPDNews & all in law enforcement for investigating & protecting our communities. https://t.co/ne3XSAWYKf
— Jonathan Greenblatt (@JGreenblattADL) February 24, 2020
The American Jewish Committee similarly tweeted, “Horrific news from NY as 18 Jewish community centers received bomb threats yesterday. We thank federal, state, and local law enforcement for their swift reaction to this threat and @NYGovCuomo for his continued leadership in the fight against anti-Semitism.”
Horrific news from NY as 18 Jewish community centers received bomb threats yesterday.
We thank federal, state, and local law enforcement for their swift reaction to this threat and @NYGovCuomo for his continued leadership in the fight against antisemitism.https://t.co/08xQKe13nN— American Jewish Committee (@AJCGlobal) February 24, 2020
