Police respond to Planet Fitness bomb threats, advocates blame transphobia

DELMARVA – Recent bomb threats have been made at Planet Fitness locations across Delmarva.

Police say they’re monitoring the situation, and remain ready to respond to any further threats. Meanwhile, LGBTQ+ advocacy groups, like the Human Rights Campaign (HRC), say they have a hunch on why the threats are being made.

Two Bombs Threats in Two Weeks

Milford’s Planet Fitness location was subjected to two separate bomb threats in the span on two weeks. The first incident took place on April 6th, around 4 p.m.

“We were notified by another law-enforcement agency about an email they had received targeting several Planet Fitness [locations] in the state,” said Milford Police Sergeant Timothy Maloney. “We did a sweep of the interior and exterior of the building, deeming that the property was safe. I think we cleared just prior to 8 P.M.”

Then on April 15th, around the same time in the day, Milford Police once again had to deploy their explosive detection K9 units to that same gym; responding to an almost identical threat.

“We were notified by a partnering agency that they had received a very similar email as before, with the same sort of thing affecting the same Planet Fitness location,” Sgt. Maloney said.

Alarming Trend

This alarming trend isn’t just happening in Milford, though. Planet Fitness locations in Ocean City, Md. and Seaford have also been threatened.

Shoshana Goldberg, Director of Public Education and Research for the HRC, says it all started with one TikTok video. In the video, a person presumed to be a transgender woman is depicted using the facilities in a Planet Fitness women’s locker room in Alaska.

“Really, it was probably a transgender woman who was in the restroom with Planet Fitness’ stated gender-inclusive policy,” Goldberg said. “Another person in the bathroom was upset, or offended, and sent it to ‘Libs of TikTok,’ and that is what set it off.”

A History of Hate?

Goldberg claims the “Libs of TikTok” account has a history of spreading hate, particularly against LGBTQ+ individuals.

“I think with this situation, what we are seeing, is a woman who knows the reach of her platform, and is willing, if not eager, to weaponize it,” Goldberg said. “First it was hospitals and doctors providing gender-affirming care for kids. Now, it’s teachers, schools, libraries, Planet Fitness. It is an increasing desire to limit the places and spaces where LGBT folks feels safe and free to live their open lives.”

According to Media Matters, 44 Planet Fitness locations across the nation have been subjected to bomb threats in relation to that video.

“Usually, it starts with online harassment. They’ll go to that person’s account and flood their TikTok, [X, formerly known as] Twitter, Instagram, Facebook page, whatever with comments, and it can start to escalate,” Goldberg said. “It can escalate to harassing phone calls, it can escalate to protests at a business, or in this case, we see multiple Planet Fitness locations across the country, not even just the one in the video, begin to receive bomb threats.”

Looking Ahead

Goldberg says the HRC expects the threats to continue, but encourage members of the LGTBQ+ community, and their allies, to keep living proudly, and fighting disinformation.

“Once you have that information, be willing to speak to the people in your lives, and say ‘That’s not actually what’s happening. Here’s what the policy actually states, here’s what gender-affirming care is,” Goldberg said. “I think it is important to bring things to light to discredit them. I think when you shy away from doing so, it allows it to continue unchecked.”

Back in Milford, the police department says they treat every bomb threat as a real one, and remain ready to respond to any further incidents.

“I would not say that there’s a threat to public safety at the current time, or outside of when we receive a particular threat,” Sgt. Maloney said.

Making bomb threats is a serious offense, and can land you in prison. According to the FBI, issuing a threat over phone, social media, text message, or email is a federal crime. Those convicted of making such threats can spend up to five years in prison, and they may face state and local charges as well.