Wittenberg University, a Division III school in Springfield, Ohio, has canceled all athletic events through September 22 due to security concerns, CBS News reports.
The decision, announced by Wittenberg Athletics, includes the football team’s road game against Hiram, originally scheduled for Saturday.
The cancellations come amidst a wave of security concerns in Springfield, stemming from claims about Haitian immigrants made by former Republican nominee Donald Trump and his running mate, JD Vance. These claims, which alleged that Haitian immigrants were eating pets, have ignited threats of violence and prompted heightened security measures across the city.
“Ongoing security concerns” on campus were cited as the reason for the cancellations, echoing a similar announcement made Monday when the school transitioned to remote learning for the week.
Wittenberg’s football team opened their season on September 7 with a 24-14 loss to Baldwin Wallace. The Tigers had a bye week last week and were scheduled to play their next game on September 28th against Howard Payne. With the cancellations, their next game is now uncertain.
The security situation in Springfield has escalated significantly in recent days. Ohio Governor Mike DeWine has deployed three dozen state troopers to the city following a series of unfounded bomb threats. The town’s annual CultureFest was also canceled due to public safety concerns.
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