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Several schools across Italy were evacuated on Wednesday following a wave of bomb threats reportedly affecting about 6,000 educational institutions, prompting security concerns and police investigations.
Similar threats were also reported in Britain and Ireland, where threatening emails were sent to hundreds of schools.
However, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni described the incidents as hoaxes, saying preliminary security checks had revealed no evidence of a concrete danger.
According to Italian news agency Ansa, citing the Education Ministry, approximately 6,000 schools across Italy were affected, although the exact number of institutions that evacuated students remained unclear.
Meloni convened a meeting with government security and intelligence chiefs on Wednesday to review the incidents and assess the security situation.
Students Evacuated As Police Investigate
Schoolchildren were seen gathering outside educational institutions in different parts of Italy after authorities ordered emergency evacuations.
Some students reportedly abandoned their belongings and hurried out of classrooms while awaiting security inspections.
A 19-year-old student at Rome’s Virgilio High School, Sofia De Ponte, told AFP that the school principal announced that a bomb threat had been received by email before ordering students to leave the building.
“The principal came out into the courtyard and told us that an email had come in, a bomb threat, and right after that the building was evacuated,” she said.
De Ponte added that police officers had yet to arrive as several schools waited for security checks.
“We’re still here waiting,” another student, Elena Sicignano, 19, said.
At Brera school in Milan, art teacher Violetta Uboldi said some students appeared excited about the unexpected suspension of classes.
“I think there was a cry of joy because school was over. That was the reaction,” she said.
However, a 16-year-old student, Angelica, said the situation initially caused panic because a teacher had informed them that the incident was not a drill.
Threatening Email Reportedly Claims Explosive Device Was Planted
Italian media reported that the threatening email was purportedly signed by an individual identified as Mikhail Andropov, described in the message as the leader of the Vilayat of Misoginistan.
The message allegedly claimed that an explosive device had been planted inside a school building and could be detonated remotely.
The sender’s identity and the credibility of the threat remained under investigation as security agencies worked to establish the origin of the messages.
Antonello Giannelli, president of the ANP association of Italian school heads, also described the threats as apparently fake.
However, he warned that irresponsible actions amplified by modern communication technology could disrupt educational activities and undermine public confidence.
He called for a thorough investigation to identify those responsible.
“We hope that full light will quickly be shed on the origin of these threats and that those responsible will be identified,” he said.
Meloni Reassures Citizens As Investigations Continue
In a Facebook post, Meloni sought to reassure the public, saying preliminary security checks had not uncovered evidence of an imminent threat.
“At present, based on the checks carried out, no element has emerged that would suggest there is a concrete danger,” she said.
She added that the incidents appeared to be part of a strategy aimed at creating alarm and concern, while assuring citizens that investigations were continuing.
The latest threats come amid a series of hoax bomb alerts recorded in recent weeks, including threats targeting flights across Europe and cyberattacks on supermarket refrigeration systems in several European countries, including Italy.
Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani also disclosed on Saturday that cybercriminals were targeting him and circulating his personal information online because of Italy’s support for Ukraine.
The incidents have heightened concerns over possible hybrid warfare involving cyberattacks, disinformation and other activities intended to disrupt public institutions.
Britain And Ireland Investigate Similar Threats
Meanwhile, police in Britain and Ireland said on Wednesday that they were investigating threatening emails sent to hundreds of schools in the two countries.
Authorities urged school administrators not to evacuate their premises, describing the messages as hoaxes.
Despite the advice, The Herald newspaper reported that several schools in Scotland had been evacuated, with pupils sent home.
Investigations are continuing as authorities across the affected countries work to establish the origins of the threats and determine whether the incidents are connected.
