Kingston caught up in series of international email bomb threats

Two Kingston businesses were allegedly sent bomb threats in emails at the same time as countless similar emails were sent out across North America on Wednesday.

Kingston police briefly blocked off Queen Street between Barrie and Clergy Streets on Thursday to respond to at least one threat.

According to Kingston police, the emails demanded $20,000 in Bitcoin, and were received around 1:30 p.m.

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After police investigated, the threats were found to be unsubstantiated and no actual danger was found at either location.

Similar threats were reported in many cities across Canada, including Ottawa, Montreal, Edmonton, Calgary, Penticton, Vernon, Toronto, Kamloops and Winnipeg. Several municipalities in the United States also received similar threats.

The RCMP have advised Canadians not to comply with the demands.

Kingston police have not released the names of either business.