(TJV) A bomb threat to multiple locations caused the evacuation of a Layton, Utah, Target store Friday afternoon, local media reported.
Salt Lake City’s KUTV 2 reported that police officers evacuated the store around 1 p.m. on Friday after bomb threats were made to multiple locations in the state.
Salt Lake City Police said in a statement to KUTV 2 that they were increasing patrols around Target stores in the wake of the threats.
“Officers have worked with the Target Corporation throughout the morning and have determined there is no credible threat to the Target stores in Salt Lake City,” the statement said.
WOIO Cleveland 19 News received a bomb threat Friday afternoon against four Target stores in Ohio and a store in Monaca, Pennsylvania purportedly from a person or persons angry over Target Corporation’s decision to remove some of the LGBTQ+ Merch after a series of threats and physical threats against its retail clerks and staff in several southern states earlier this week.
Update:
Yesterday it was reported that Target stores in Ohio received multiple bomb threats. Initially, it was suspected the threats came from someone upset about the Pride display, but new details show it was actually an LGBTQ+ ally who said the bomb threats would continue… pic.twitter.com/N8kv8v7R0s
— 🇺🇸Travis🇺🇸 (@Travis_in_Flint) May 27, 2023
According to the report, staff and customers were moved to the parking lot of the retail store.
The threats appear to have been made by trans extremists triggered over Target’s decision to pull LGBTQ merchandise and sever ties with a Satanic trans artist following massive public backlash.
“Target is full of [redacted] cowards who turned their back on the LGBT community and decided to cater to homophobic right wing, redneck, bigots, who protested and vandalized their store,” according to the email sent to Cleveland 9. “We won’t stand idly by as the far right continues to hunt us down.”
“We are sending you a message, we placed a bomb in the following Targets,’ the email continued. “We will continue to bomb your Targets until you stop cowering and bring back your LBGT merchandise. We will not be erased, we won’t go quietly.”
The LGBT Community Center of Greater Cleveland put out a statement condemning the violent threats.
The LGBT Community Center of Greater Cleveland does not condone violence under any circumstance. The threats made to Target recently are a disheartening development especially when our community is preparing to come together to celebrate our Pride. We are in alignment with the position Human Rights Campaign has recently taken, calling on Target to stand firm in the face of anti-LGBTQ+ sentiment and rhetoric.
Some of the items Target removed included “gender fluid” mugs, “tuck-friendly” swimwear, “queer all year” calendars and books for young children titled “Bye Bye, Binary,” “Pride 1,2,3,” “I’m not a girl” and all products created by the Satanic LGBT artist Abprallen.
Target has lost over $9 billion in value just this past week from conservative-led boycotts.
