Herts police has confirmed that "suspicious envelopes" which led to the evacuation of Hertsmere Borough Council offices were "non-hazardous and entirely legitimate", with an investigation into "neo-Nazi" threats made against the council leader still ongoing.
Police were called at 2.43pm on Wednesday (August 19) following reports of two suspicious envelopes found at Hertsmere Civic Offices in Elstree Way, Borehamwood.
"Response officers attended and for a short period a cordon was put in place around the location as a precaution," a spokesperson told this newspaper.
"Following further examination by specialist officers, it was established that the items were non-hazardous and origin of the letters was entirely legitimate."
It comes after an investigation into threats made against Hertsmere Borough Council's Labour and Co-operative leader Jeremy Newmark was launched in July.
Police said the "investigation remains ongoing", with Hertsmere Labour claiming he has suffered "sustained harassment from a neo-Nazi, self-styled 'national socialist' group that branded him a 'Zionist Jew' and a 'Jewish traitor'".
"In recent months, our council leader, Cllr Jeremy Newmark, has received a serious death threat that remains the subject of an active police investigation," the statement read.
"He has faced sustained harassment from a neo-Nazi, self-styled 'national socialist' grouping that branded him a 'Zionist Jew' and a 'Jewish traitor' and sought to target his home.
"Photographs of Cllr Newmark's car and registration plate have been circulated on social media with thinly disguised incitement.
"Al-generated deepfake images of him killing and burying dogs, foxes and local wildlife have been widely shared. Social media campaign groups have traded freely in conspiracy theories and antisemitism.
"Against this background, it is right that all threats and concerns are assessed by the police and other professionals, and that the council's responses are coordinated in close partnership with them.
"We will also lead an all-party process to review, bolster and enhance the council's emergency protocols."
Addressing Wednesday's evacuation, the Hertsmere Labour statement continued: "We express our heartfelt thanks to council officers and Hertfordshire Constabulary for an exemplary response, delivered at short notice and under demanding circumstances.
"The scale of that response - the evacuation of public buildings, offices and private homes, road closures, and the establishment of an emergency evacuation and response centre - followed police threat assessments."
Hertsmere Borough Council has been ask for comment.
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