Italian schools evacuated following wave of bomb threat emails

The alarm was raised after multiple schools received threatening messages via their official email addresses. School administrators alerted law enforcement and initiated emergency protocols, resulting in the orderly evacuation of thousands of students, teachers, and staff to designated outdoor assembly points.

Security forces, including canine units and bomb disposal experts, inspected classrooms, hallways, and common areas, but no explosive devices have been found so far.

Cities affected include Rome, Milan, Naples, and Bologna, as well as other towns and provinces throughout the country. This marks the second large-scale incident of its kind this month.

Earlier in November, a similar series of threatening messages targeting over 270 school directors led to class disruptions and police inspections at numerous schools nationwide.

Police are investigating the origin of the communications and working to identify the individuals responsible for these mass emails.

The new bomb threats occur amid growing concern over hybrid threats and security incidents in Italy in recent weeks. These include false bomb alerts on commercial flights, cyberattacks on supermarket cooling systems, a computer intrusion into the company building the Brenner Base Tunnel connecting Italy and Austria, and the distribution of personal data of Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani and his family on the dark web.

The Italian government has strengthened coordination between law enforcement agencies, intelligence services, and the National Cybersecurity Agency to improve threat detection and response. Authorities are investigating whether these incidents are part of a coordinated strategy to generate social alarm and undermine confidence in the country’s institutions.