London Police investigate bomb threat at Jewish Community Centre

An evacuation order has been lifted, but London Police continues to investigate after a bomb threat at the Jewish Community Centre.

“At approximately 10 a.m. this morning, London Police Service was called to the Jewish Community Centre and Village Apartments located at Adelaide and Huron Streets,” Constable Matthew Dawson told AM980.

“We received a bomb threat from an unknown person. We attended and through the investigation, we evacuated not only the community centre, the daycare, but also the Village Apartments.”

Roughly 120 people were evacuated while police searched inside and outside the buildings as well as reviewed security footage.

Tuesday’s bomb threat is the second at the centre at Adelaide Street and Huron Street since the end of January. Nothing suspicious was found in either incident.

One of the evacuees on Tuesday, who asked not to be named, told AM980 her first thought was “it’s happening again” when she saw the police cars.

“I don’t know who’s doing this and I think we need more peace in this world. I’m at a loss for words, really,” she explained.

“I’m not going to let it phase me because we keep moving forward. We’re going to move on and we’re going to support the community regardless.”

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The woman said her daughter goes to the preschool and that the community centre is multi-faith.

President of the London Jewish Federation, Terry Marcus, added that this is not unlike calls being received across the United States and Canada.

“It’s very disappointing that this is happening in all communities and to all people of different religions,” he explained.

“We have our protocols in place, we ensured the safety of all of our individuals in the building, and we continue to go with our programs and our lives.”

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London Police are asking anyone with information to contact them at 519-661-5670 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477).

Across the United States, federal officials have been investigating over 120 bomb threats called into Jewish organizations since January 9 in addition to a rash of vandalism at Jewish cemeteries. A Missouri man was arrested last Friday in connection with at least eight threats, which police say was part of a bizarre campaign to harass and frame his ex-girlfriend.