A fresh wave of hoax bomb threats targeted hundreds of schools in Scotland and Northern Ireland on Wednesday, 2026, leading to precautionary evacuations at several sites. The widespread incident has caused disruption for students and staff, though authorities have stressed that the threats appear to be false.
Police Scotland reported that at least 470 schools received the warnings, with locations ranging from Dumfries in the south to Aberdeenshire and Orkney in the north. In Northern Ireland, at least 300 schools were affected by the same campaign. Similar messages were also sent via generic communications to schools in the Republic of Ireland.
Officials moved quickly to reassure the public, noting that these incidents bear a strong resemblance to the hoax threats received by schools last month. A spokesperson for Police Scotland stated that inquiries showed no evidence of a credible threat or any wider risk to the public.
The police spokesperson acknowledged the distress such messages can cause for pupils, parents, and staff. They advised that schools are not required to evacuate or keep children home based solely on the content of the emails, as the messages have been distributed widely across the UK and Northern Ireland. The assessment remains that the threats do not represent a genuine danger.
The cyber and fraud unit of Police Scotland is currently liaising with security and law enforcement bodies in the UK and overseas to identify the source of the threats. While Northern Ireland’s education minister, Paul Givan, previously described last month’s hoaxes as appearing to be Islamist in nature and signed with the Arabic phrase for God is greater, there has been no public confirmation that this current wave shares the same origin.
In Scotland, local councils have taken various steps to manage the situation. Dumfries and Galloway council confirmed that children were sent home after a majority of local schools received the messages. Highland council noted that some of its schools activated their emergency protocols, while others were told to readmit evacuated pupils and resume normal classes.
Glasgow council emailed parents to clarify that claims of devices planted in schools were false, citing police confirmation that evacuation was unnecessary. In Edinburgh, a council spokesperson confirmed that schools were briefly evacuated as a precaution following the receipt of threatening messages. They emphasized that schools remain safe and that there is no need for parents to remove their children from education.
In Northern Ireland, education officials advised schools to remain open unless otherwise directed by the Police Service of Northern Ireland. A spokesperson for the education authority stated that schools should remain vigilant and report any suspicious activity. They expressed appreciation for the community’s concerns and promised further updates after engaging with police.
Anthony McNally, an assistant chief constable at the PSNI, offered reassurance by stating that the force takes such incidents very seriously. He noted that while inquiries are ongoing, the risk to the public is currently considered low. In the Republic of Ireland, the Garda Síochána confirmed that they had assessed the threat as not credible and did not call for any evacuations.
