Italian schools evacuate pupils again as government prepares threat protocol

Several Italian schools evacuated pupils again on Thursday after receiving a threatening email, as the government prepares a protocol intended to limit evacuations to cases where there is a concrete security concern.

The evacuations follow a wave of bomb-threat emails sent to thousands of schools across Italy this week. A previous report said 6,300 schools received an email, while hundreds were evacuated on Wednesday; the two figures count different things. Earlier reporting on the number of schools affected said the total referred to emails sent, not evacuations.

Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said after Wednesday’s evacuations that there appeared to be no real danger and that the messages were intended to spread fear. A representative of a school-heads’ association also described the threats as “clearly fake”, according to the report.

Under the proposed protocol, evacuating buildings should be avoided where possible unless there is a concrete threat. Local authorities would retain the power to order an evacuation if they have serious safety concerns. The report does not say when the protocol will take effect.