Zoos swatted in central states: 'Part of life now'

[BumRushDaShow]

Source: Yahoo! News

Sat, May 2, 2026 at 8:28 PM EDT


(NewsNation) — At least four zoos or aquariums in the central United States were targets this weekend of apparent “swatting” calls that prompted the locations to temporarily close as a safety precaution. On Friday morning, the Louisville Zoo was evacuated for a “safety threat” that police said was someone calling in a claim there was a bomb on the premises.

Police swept the zoo, however, and quickly gave the “all clear.”. Around the same time, police in Ohio reported calls of a bomb threat and gunshots at the Toledo Zoo. Sgt. Mohamad Nasser said tactical units, a bomb squad and K9 officers responded and found no danger to the public.

Waves of fake threats to colleges are putting students on edge and testing dispatchers. The Toledo Zoo closed for the day, officials said.

On Saturday, bomb threats were called on two more facilities that house animals: Ripley’s Aquarium of the Smokies in Gatlinburg, Tenn., and the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium in Ohio. “We swept the zoo. We found no traces of any bombs of any kind,” said President and CEO for Columbus Zoo and Aquarium, Tom Schmid, who added employees have done recent drills to prepare for such emergency calls.

Read more: https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/zoos-swatted-central-states-part-002858914.html

[-misanthroptimist]

1. What possible sense can there be in that?

[Irish_Dem]

2. Always ask: Who benefits and how.

Who benefits from the US being a violent, unstable, unsafe country?
With citizens on edge and afraid?

[-misanthroptimist]

3. Chevy Chase! It's all so clear now!

If not him, then some police-types - ICE or other DHS delinquents come to mind.

Still...zoos?

[Irish_Dem]

4. Yes attack the most vulnerable: children, schools, colleges, animals, etc.

Gun violence is the leading cause of death for American children.
Kids are not safe at school or college.
Animals are now targets as well.

Who benefits from the US being seen as an unsafe, violent, dangerous place?
With scared, numb, anxious citizens?

[magicarpet]

5. It is kinda like rape,...

A constant reminder of the power one holds over you to disrupt and turn up side down your life, bring long lasting detriment to your day to days comings and goings.

If you don't do what I want. I will evoke my power over you to remind you of my ability to impact your life in some very nasty nasty ways. If you are foolish enough to contest my power over you - you will pay a very heavy price. Yield and comply to my wishes and demands or suffer inconveniences of great magnitude.

Signed:
Your best friend ,
The Horrific Tyrant,
Love & kisses too.

[Irish_Dem]

7. Yes a deliberate attack on the US.

To create a fearful demoralized populace. Which is then easy to control and manipulate.

At the same time fire most of the people who are tasked with protecting the American people, and replace them with federal agent whose job is to further terrorize the populous.

None of this is coincidence.
Coincidences take a lot of planning.

[magicarpet]

8. Governance by low life common street Nazis and semi-professional Gestapo Jackbooted Storm troopers

... employed by the federal government - all under the rubric of djt's private Hessian Army and lethal fascistic security forces he is frantically trying to assemble before the comings mid-term elections.

[Conjuay]

12. no, my take is completely different.

These people are the ones that think PETA is not doing enough.

So more drastic measures are needed.

[Irish_Dem]

13. So who is manipulating them into blowing up animals as a way to further their cause?

[EX500rider]

15. No one is blowing up animals, they are calling in fake threats to disrupt Zoo's

Likely suspects IMO:

Animal Liberation Front (ALF): A leaderless, underground network that engages in direct action, including arson and property destruction, to cause economic damage to industries exploiting animals.

Direct Action Everywhere (DxE): Known for "open rescues"—trespassing onto farms to remove animals—and high-profile, disruptive protests aimed at ending animal agriculture.

Animal Rights Militia (ARM): A radical group known for using more extreme, direct violence and threats against people, compared to just property damage.

Stop Huntingdon Animal Cruelty (SHAC): An international campaign that targeted Huntingdon Life Sciences and its stakeholders through intense harassment and intimidation tactics.

Negotation is Over (NIO): Founded by Camille Marino, this group targeted researchers with threats and protests to combat animal testing.

Revolutionary Cells - Animal Liberation Brigade (RCALB): A smaller, radical group associated with direct action against animal exploitation.

[Irish_Dem]

19. Who funds these organizations?

Show me the money flow chart.

[EX500rider]

20. I doubt underground radical animal rights groups need funding

It's not like they have team building weekends in Cancun

[cab67]

18. I collaborate with zoos.

They face threats like this all the time.

The extremists don't want to harm the animals. They want to scare away visitors, hitting the zoos and their vendors in their wallets.

I don't use live animals in my research, but some of my friends and colleagues do. A couple of them have had their labs broken into, equipment destroyed, and the animals "liberated." In both cases, the animals were all found dead a short distance from where they were released. The animals were released in conditions that any rational person would have known would have been fatal. A lot of people oppose animal-based research, and I'm not unsympathetic to the rationale, but although those who vandalize these facilities might think they're acting in the animals' best interests, they usually know nothing about biology. At all.

[OldBaldy1701E]

6. They are 'dry runs'.

Whomever this person is may be testing the responses.

The second they see that no one is taking it seriously any more, they will place an actual bomb where their real target is.

Or, this is one or more incels getting their laughs by making others suffer.

For some of those losers, it is all they know.

[Irish_Dem]

11. Yes but who is manipulating American young people into becoming terrorists?

[marybourg]

9. Radical "animal rights" activists.

[hadEnuf]

10. Or made to look that way.

Gotta keep the "both sides do it" canard going.

[Nigrum Cattus]

14. not "animal rights activists"

it's the goddamn RWRE's again
right wing religious extremists hate everything, including other species.
project 2025 says other species are only here for us to use, not enjoy or respect.
they are poisoning everything they touch.

[EX500rider]

16. Any evidence "right wing religious extremists" hate Zoo's? Or just a hunch you have?

I think right wings groups like Zoo's, Circus's, trophy hunting, animal exploitation, etc.

[cab67]

17. I'm inclined to think animal rights extremists are more likely behind it.

I collaborate with zoos. They face threats like this all the time, although they're usually not very specific and don't rise to the level of shutting things down.

[slightlv]

21. Get rid of all the "vulnerables"

and sounds like someone wants more land...