San Francisco Jewish center evacuated in nationwide bomb scare

US and Canada hit by wave of bomb threats which are believed to be a giant hoax.

Some 500 people were safely evacuated from the Jewish Community Center of San Francisco on Thursday morning after a nearby bank was targeted in a string of bomb threats that rocked the nation.

The threats, which officials suspect were part of a giant hoax, appeared to target financial and governmental institutions, although other businesses and media outlets were also affected.

The email threats demanded Bitcoin payments or else bombs would detonate in those locations, according to the Northern California Regional Intelligence Center, which alerted local law enforcement agencies across the state.

The bomb threats were also made across the border, with cities including Ottawa, Montreal, Calgary, Winnipeg receiving similar messages.

In Toronto, reported local radio station 680 News, at least 10 bomb threats were made across the city, including several that caused closures of subway stations.

In San Francisco, police were called to at least nine locations around 10:00 a.m., including the JCC, which was ordered to evacuate after a threat was made against the San Francisco Fireman’s Credit Union, located directly across the street.

Just before 11:00 a.m., JCC executive director Marci Glazer received a call from the police, informing her of the bomb threat and the need to get people out of the building.

“This is something we are completely prepared for and practice on a regular basis,” she said.