Hamlet, North Carolina is a city of 6,391 people.

It’s 55 percent white and 36 percent black.

And because of its black population, incapable of abiding by the law and refraining from violence, the 2017 Fourth of July events have all been cancelled.

Happy Independence Day!

Hamlet cancels July Fourth events after threats of gang violence, WSCOTV.com, July 3, 2017

The city of Hamlet has canceled all of its July Fourth events due to threats of violence.

The Hamlet Police Department has received multiple threats of violence over the weekend.

Police confirmed to Channel 9 the threats were gang retaliation for a homicide that happened last month.

The threats were not aimed at one person or group, but were threats of violence at the celebration.

After the police chief spoke to city officials Monday morning, they decided to err on the side of caution and cancel the city’s annual Fourth of July celebration and fireworks display that was scheduled for Tuesday.

City Manager Jonathan Blanton told Channel 9 that Hamlet’s annual Fourth of July celebration is one of only two fireworks displays in Richmond County and is typically very well-attended by thousands of people.

Investigators determined the threats weren’t toward police or spectators, but for gang retaliation stemming from a recent murder.

City leaders said that canceling the Fourth of July celebration upsets a lot of people, but they don’t want to risk violence.

“Those risks are not worth taking for the lives of innocent citizens and visitors to our city,” said Scott Waters, of the Hamlet Police Department.

The threats are still under investigation and so is last week’s murder of Tierell Martin, which police said prompted the threats.