The City of Cambridge council and the public will be back in the council chambers on Tuesday after a threatening voicemail led to tighter security and nearly a month without in-person meetings.
On Sept. 22, officials said a “disruptive member of the public” left a threatening voicemail, which caused the Sept. 23 meeting to move online to keep things safe and respectful for Council, staff, and community members.
Security at city hall alerted regional police when they put the building on hold and secure, and they banned the person who left the voicemail from city properties; however, police later said there wasn’t enough evidence for any criminal charges at that time.
Police wrapped up their investigation on Monday with no charges filed.
No information has been shared about who left the threatening message or what exactly was said in that voicemail.
Following this event, Cambridge is rolling out several new safety steps like extra security at city hall and meetings, bag checks, limited entry points, emergency training for staff and council members, plus “additional security upgrades” for council chambers.
The city was already planning mandatory bag checks at council meetings before this happened due to changes in “the new political landscape.”
The upcoming Tuesday council meeting will happen in person again at city hall, open for everyone to attend.
“We thank the public for their patience and understanding as we prioritize creating a safe and respectful environment for everyone,” said the City of Cambridge in an official statement. “Reports removed from the previous agenda will be brought forward to a future meeting as soon as possible.”
