Italian Schools Remain Open Despite Fresh Wave of Bomb Threats
More than 3,700 schools across Italy received fake bomb threats on Thursday, but most remained open following new government guidance on handling security alerts. The decision came after a similar wave of threatening emails on Wednesday forced thousands of schools to close and sparked widespread concern among parents. According to Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s office, only 77 schools were evacuated on Thursday, compared with around 6,300 institutions affected the previous day.
The Italian government has advised authorities to evacuate public buildings only when there is concrete evidence of a genuine threat, rather than acting solely on mass-distributed emails. Meloni also met opposition leaders to discuss the growing incidents and announced plans to introduce a coordinated protocol to minimise disruption. The latest warnings were again signed by an individual using the name “Mikhail Andropov” and included another threat against the prime minister.
The incidents come amid a wider wave of hoax threats and cyberattacks targeting public institutions and essential services across Europe. Although some European officials suspect possible Russian involvement, Italian authorities have said there is currently no evidence linking Moscow to the threats, while Russia has denied any involvement. Opposition leaders have criticised the government over what they describe as insufficient cybersecurity investment, calling for stronger digital protection measures to prevent similar disruptions.
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