International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees Local 80 closed its offices Friday after it received a threatening letter referencing the strike in some way. Police in Burbank, where IATSE Local 80 is headquartered, are investigating the matter, but no one has been arrested.
“Burbank P.D. is aware and detectives are investigating the credibility and validity of the threat. No arrests have been made. IATSE, in an abundance of caution, have closed their offices today. No additional information is being released at this time,” representatives for the department told TheWrap.
Dejon Ellis, Jr., IATSE’s business manager, told Variety that the letter came from an unidentified member who “said some very scary things. He’s just mad. He says he’s out of work and homeless. He’s distraught. I don’t know if it’s a cry for help or not knowing how to control his anger.”
IATSE has not yet made a public comment on the matter. But producer-writer-director Justine Bateman confirmed Friday night that a panel discussion of artificial intelligence in entertainment she was participating in, originally set to happen at IATSE Local 80 headquarters on Saturday, has been canceled.
Puck first reported the incident.
Representatives for IATSE didn’t immediately respond to TheWrap’s request for comment.
