Schools across Scotland, Northern Ireland and Italy evacuated pupils on Wednesday after receiving threatening emails, with police later confirming the messages were hoaxes. The emails, hundreds titled "death is near," prompted urgent investigations and sent pupils home in several regions.
Evacuations Across Scotland and Northern Ireland
Kinross High School was among the Scottish schools evacuated, with dozens of pupils pictured standing on a football pitch. A spokesperson for Perth and Kinross Council confirmed that a number of schools in the area received bomb threats, leading to some evacuations. The spokesperson said: "Schools took appropriate action based on the circumstances and information available to them, and we want to reassure parents and carers that the wellbeing of pupils and staff remains at the heart of our response."
Pupils were also sent home after closures across Scotland, including in Glasgow, Edinburgh, Fife and the Highlands. In Edinburgh, a parent at Royal High School said students had been given an extended break, while a senior primary school teacher confirmed their school had been evacuated over a threat.
Police Declare Hoax, No Credible Threat
Police Scotland released a full statement confirming the messages are being treated as hoaxes. The force said: "On Wednesday, 11 November 2026 threatening messages were sent to a number of schools in Scotland and across and the UK. These messages were immediately assessed and are being treated as hoaxes. Our enquiries have established that there is nothing to suggest that they represent a credible threat or that there is any wider threat to the public."
The PSNI also declared a major incident after schools received the threats, believing they originated from outside the UK. PSNI Assistant Chief Constable Anthony McNally said: "We take incidents of this nature very seriously and we understand the concern in the community, school communities and for students and parents. Our enquiries are ongoing, however, at this stage we consider risk to the public as low."
Schools Advised to Remain Open
Northern Ireland's Department of Education advised schools to remain open unless otherwise instructed by the PSNI. The Education Authority said there is currently no evidence of a credible threat, noting the emails are similar to a hoax sent to hundreds of schools last month.
Threatening emails were sent to more than 300 schools in Northern Ireland, with some schools in Scotland also receiving them. In Italy, around 300 schools were evacuated after receiving identical messages, with Education Minister Giuseppe Valditara warning the number could rise.
Police Scotland's Cyber and Fraud Unit is carrying out extensive enquiries to establish the source of the messages, working alongside law enforcement partners across the UK and internationally.
