An East Harlem preliminary polling place was evacuated sometime on Sunday morning after someone made a bomb threat at the school where it is located.
The threat was filed against the Jackie Robinson Educational Complex, where several voters and staff were practicing democracy at the early polling place.
“The NYPD notified us of a bomb threat at 1573 Madison Avenue, an early polling place,” tweeted Election Board Deputy Executive Director Vincent Ignizio on Sunday. “Emergency protocols were initiated immediately. The employees along with a handful of voters were safely evacuated.
Ignizio tweeted after nearly two hours of shutdown, police given “absolutely clear” resumption of voting at the polling place at around 12:40 pm.
A police spokesperson said the threat was not filed against the polling place, but against the school, noting that a post on social media gave an ominous indication that something would happen at the school on November 9.
Despite it being November 6, police had evacuated the school to clear the explosives, none of which were found. The spokesman said the threat had nothing to do with the polling place or the election.
The Sunday before Tuesday’s general election is the last day of early voting in the city, and almost 350,000 New Yorkers According to BOE, had already cast their vote on Saturday as the closing time.
Although the bomb threat seemed unrelated to the vote, Sunday’s scare was a reminder of the ghost of political violence that has loomed large over a polarized United States in this election cycle.
A recent ABC/Washington Post poll found 88% of American adults Fear polarization is increasing the risk of political violence this year, and security agencies are at one enhanced advice With regard to the potential for politically motivated panic on election day and beyond.
Fears of bloodshed have risen since the attack on Paul Pelosi, the husband of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, where an intruder involved in a conspiracy smashed Pelosi’s skull with a hammer after arriving while trying to break the speaker’s knee. Threats against election workers are increasing, while in states like Arizona, armed civilians Voters have been threatened Claiming to “monitor” ballots.
Meanwhile, much of the Republican Party continues to promote lies about the legitimacy of the 2020 presidential election, which resulted in a violent uprising at the US Capitol on January 6, 2021, and the same people are sowing doubts about the upcoming election. . Even happens.
Former President Donald Trump has also Promise to challenge election results In a down-to-the-wire Senate race in Pennsylvania, before any votes are counted.
