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Feb. 24 (UPI) -- Police evacuated the Albany Jewish Community Center after 18 such facilities throughout the country received anonymous bomb threats via email over the weekend, said New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo. Cuomo told reporters outside the Jewish center that police evacuated about 100 people from the Albany facility, which was then swept by officers and at least three police dogs after it received an email concerning a bomb threat at around 11 a.m. on Sunday.
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"These types of situations are so ugly and so unfortunate," he said. "What's worse is we're seeing more and more of them."
The threat was emailed to Jewish community centers across the nation, said Rich Azzopardi, a spokesman for the governor. Cuomo told reporters that 18 centers were targeted.
The threats, Cuomo said, not only targeted the Jewish community but anyone who uses the community centers' facilities, such as gymnasiums that are frequented by children.
"It's one of the most heinous things you can do," he said.
Cuomo said they have been dealing with "a virus of hate" that has spread throughout the state, resulting in at least 42 anti-Semitic incidents in the past few months.
The bomb threats come amid a spike in hate crimes targeting New York's Jewish community.
In late December, New York Sen. Chuck Schumer called for increased federal support to protect religious communities after five people were stabbed during a Hanukkah celebration in the state.
And last month, Attorney General William Barr said in Brooklyn that he was "extremely distressed" by the surge in violence and hate crimes against the Jewish community, vowing to become more involved fighting such crimes.
Cuomo said Sunday the police are investigating where the emails were sent from, adding the threats against the Jewish community do not reflect New York.
"New York would not be New York without our Jewish brothers and sisters," he said.
The Albany Jewish Community Center said on Twitter that it will re-open as scheduled on Monday.
