World Bulletin / News Desk

A Florida mosque has been removed as a polling station for the 2016 election after local officials received complaints and threats of violence.

The Islamic Center of Boca Raton was planning to host a polling site for the state's primary in August and the general election in November.

“We began receiving complaints from voters,” said Susan Bucher, Supervisor of Elections for Palm Beach County, after she received complaints, and threats, about the use of the mosque  in an email to The Palm Beach Post Editorial Board. “Some felt uncomfortable voting at the Islamic Center.”

She had received a call “that indicated individuals planned to impede voting and maybe even call in a bomb threat to have the location evacuated on Election Day,” Bucher said, and she decided to relocate the polling place to the Spanish River Library about two miles away. 

Bassem Alhalabi, the president of the Islamic Center, said he was saddened to learn the news. “We were very happy to serve the community,” he told WPTV.

The site has now moved to a nearby library.

Source: Washington Post