Three letters sent to organizers of Boston’s Straight Pride Parade raised red flags with their recipients.
Boston.com reports Massachusetts police responded to the homes of the men — John Hugo, Mark Sahady, and Samson Racioppi. The letters contained no return address and, according to Racioppi, something inside that rattled.
“I flipped it over and there was tape around where it’s sealed,” Racioppi told a CBS affiliate WBZ about his letter. “And so all of these are red flags for me. And then I shook it and you could hear something rattling around inside.
“It wasn’t powder, it was bigger than powder, it felt more granular in nature, bigger than sand. I was immediately alarmed, of course. I could hear something shaking … it was probably bigger than grains of sand and I was immediately suspicious,” he said.
Racioppi, one of the leaders of the group Super Happy Fun America, opened the letter and found a handwritten note, which contained a Bible verse, and the substance: glitter.
“We believe this to be the action of domestic terrorists,” Super Happy Fun America wrote in a news release. “The sender wants Super Happy Fun America to know: We know where you live, and your families are within our reach.”
WBZ said a fourth letter, also with a “glittery substance” was opened Monday by an employee at Boston City Hall.
CNN reports an FBI spokesperson said the agency doesn’t think the letters present a thread to the public.
Super Happy Fun America organizers said the parade will go ahead as planned.
“The cowardly threats against our parade organizers and their families will not deter us from advocating for Straight acceptance, nor will it dissuade us from continuing forward with our Straight Pride Parade in Boston,” Super Happy Fun America said.
