Researchers found that threats and harassment against council members, school board members, election workers, mayors and prosecutors increased significantly. Princeton University's Bridging Divides Initiative tracked public reports and social media.
The documented threats included a bomb threat sent via email, private information and photos that were made public, and a social media message threatening gun violence. The investigation is the latest sign of growing hostility in the public sphere, Reuters recently reported. The initiative is a research group that tracks political violence in the U.S. and plans to update monthly as a way to track the evolution of threats. The organization is based in Princeton, New Jersey, and has offices in Washington, D.C., New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco and San Diego, among other locations. The group's website is: http://www.bridgingdivides.org/threats-and-harassment-against-public-officials-in-the- United- States-2023-2024.