Target stores in at least five states reportedly received bomb threats last weekend as the big-box retailer continues to face backlash to corporate-level decisions regarding LGBTQ Pride merchandise. Some of the threats reportedly said Target “betrayed the LGBTQ+ community.”
The Washington Post reported that Target stores in Oklahoma, New York, New Hampshire, Vermont and Louisiana received threats, though no explosives were discovered. Stores in Ohio, Utah and Pennsylvania had previously received similar threats.
Target has put employee safety at the forefront since customers began complaining about polarizing Pride displays that were planned to be front and center at most target locations. Conservatives were initially annoyed when Pride merchandise for children and adult items, such as female-style swimsuits that can be used to “tuck” male genitalia, were prominently displayed at the front of stores. But when Target scaled back the presentation and removed certain items, citing safety concerns, members of the LGBTQ community felt betrayed.
Target stores in at least five states reportedly received bomb threats last weekend. (Reuters)
TARGET CONFIRMS ‘ADJUSTMENTS’ TO PRIDE PLANS AFTER LGBTQ MERCHANDISE CAUSED ‘THREATS’ TO EMPLOYEES
In Louisiana, CBS affiliate KLFY reported that a similar email was sent.
“You have betrayed the LGBTQ+ community. You are pathetic cowards who bowed to the wishes of far right extremists who want to exterminate us,” the threatening email said, according to KLFY. “We will not tolerate intolerance nor indifference. If you are not with us then you are against us. That is why we placed a bomb in each of your locations, evacuate now as this is only to cause economic damage.”
NBC’s Oklahoma City affiliate, KFOR, reported it received a threatening email on Saturday.
Target did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Many Target locations across the country feature massive June Pride month displays on an annual basis. (Brian Flood/Fox News)
Targets Pride adult one piece swimsuit featuring “tuck-friendly construction” and “extra crotch coverage.” (Brian Flood/Fox News)
Earlier this month, a Target insider told Fox News Digital that it’s devastating having innocent staffers being forced to defend the big-box store from angry customers on both sides of the Pride issue. Most rank-and-file employees were left in the dark about changes, with many not knowing the Pride sections would be moved and items would be pulled until they noticed it themselves.
“For more than a decade, Target has offered an assortment of products aimed at celebrating Pride Month. Since introducing this year’s collection, we’ve experienced threats impacting our team members’ sense of safety and wellbeing while at work. Given these volatile circumstances, we are making adjustments to our plans, including removing items that have been at the center of the most significant confrontational behavior. Our focus now is on moving forward with our continuing commitment to the LGBTQIA+ community and standing with them as we celebrate Pride Month and throughout the year,” a Target spokesperson told Fox News Digital last month.
It has also been revealed that Target partnered with GLSEN, a K-12 education group that focuses on getting districts to adopt policies that will keep parents in the dark about their child’s in-class gender transition, providing sexually explicit books to schools for free and integrating gender ideology at all levels of curricula in public schools. GLSEN, which has signage inside Target stores’ Pride displays, has received at least $2.1 million in donations from Target.
Separately, the retailer’s Pride collection has been linked to controversial designer Erik Carnell of Abprallen, who is an outspoken Satanist whose brand features occult imagery and messages like “Satan respects pronouns” on brand apparel.