Bomb threat prompts search of State Sen. Scott Wiener's home
SAN FRANCISCO – State Sen. Scott Wiener vowed he would continue to fight for the LGBTQ community despite receiving a death threat that prompted authorities to search his San Francisco home for potential bombs over the weekend.
"Been getting lots of check-ins about the death threat we received yesterday. I truly appreciate it," Wiener said on his Twitter account Monday. "I receive lots of death threats & have for years. They're mostly about our civil rights work for LGBTQ people & people with HIV."
Been getting lots of check-ins about the death threat we received yesterday. I truly appreciate it.
— Senator Scott Wiener (@Scott_Wiener) June 13, 2022
I receive lots of death threats & have for years. They’re mostly about our civil rights work for LGBTQ people & people with HIV.
I’ll keep fighting, death threats notwithstanding
According to the San Francisco Chronicle, officers with bomb-sniffing dogs searched Wiener's home Sunday after his staff received the threat under the subject line, "he will die today."
"We placed bombs in his office and his house," said the message, which was reportedly full of sexual obscenities.
UPDATE: Threats against Bay Area LGBTQ+ community have authorities on alert
The threat against Wiener came as the nation celebrates Pride Month and on the same weekend that authorities said members of the far-right Proud Boys disrupted a children's story time featuring a drag queen at the San Lorenzo Library. According to Alameda County sheriff's deputies, about eight to 10 men shouted homophobic and transphobic slurs.
"I've always received death threats, hate mail for doing drag queen story hour. This time it felt very close to violence," Panda Dulce, who hosted the story time, said in an interview with KPIX 5 on Sunday.
Also over the weekend, more than 30 members of a white nationalist group were arrested for allegedly planning to riot at a Pride event in Idaho. Sunday also marked the sixth anniversary of the mass shooting at the Pulse nightclub in Orlando, Florida, where 49 people were killed in what was the deadliest attack against LGBTQ people in U.S. history.
"I'll keep fighting, death threats notwithstanding," said Wiener, who is gay and has authored legislation aimed at protecting the LGBTQ community and their families.
The San Francisco Police Department and California Highway Patrol are investigating.