Bomb threats target Czech and Slovak schools

Schools in Czechia and Slovakia faced bomb threats on Tuesday morning, leading to school closures, modified schedules and urgent police investigations.

A threatening email was sent to schools across the country on X, according to Czech police reports, although local authorities said there was no concrete information to suggest any immediate danger to the public. At the same time, nearly 270 primary and secondary schools across Slovakia received bomb threats.

“We are currently investigating a threatening email sent to hundreds of schools across the Czech Republic, in which the sender claims the institutions have been mined,” the Czech Police announced on X Tuesday morning.

“The police are handling the situation in a way that ensures the safety of both students and teachers while causing as little disruption to the school operations as possible,” said Czech Interior Minister Vít Rakušan (STAN, EPP).

Czechia remains on high alert for school safety following a school shooting in Prague in December 2023 that left 14 dead and 25 injured.

In response to the new threat, some schools in Prague closed or altered their regular schedules on Tuesday. Police clarified that the email had been sent ”to approximately 500 schools nationwide“. In reaction, the police conducted inspections in affected schools.

In another incident on Tuesday, two children were injured when a pupil attacked her classmates with a knife at a secondary school in the Czech town of Domažlice. As the injuries were not serious, the children were treated in hospital and then released to be cared for at home. The suspect, a lower secondary school student like the victims, was arrested by the police.

Slovak police launch terrorism probe

In Slovakia, the bomb threats led to the interruption or cancellation of classes. Police were deployed early on Tuesday morning to search several schools, but no bombs or dangerous materials were found.

Slovak Interior Minister Matúš Šutaj Eštok (Hlas-SD/NI) confirmed at Tuesday’s press conference that police were actively investigating the threats.

Police opened a criminal case and are treating the bomb threats as a terrorist attack, said Rastislav Polakovič, vice-president of the Police Corps for Internal Order and Security. This would mean the perpetrator could face up to 25 years to life imprisonment.

Among those condemning the threats were Prosecutor General Maroš Žilinka, who promised an “uncompromising response” to the situation, and Slovak President Peter Pellegrini.

“Such reports are increasing in a number of areas, causing growing concern, complications and real economic damage, and deserve severe punishment. I trust the police will deploy all their forces to ensure the perpetrators are found and deservedly punished as soon as possible,” said Pellegrini.

It is “particularly heartless” to target first graders, who should feel safe and welcomed in their new school environment, said Slovak Commissioner for Children Jozef Mikloško.

“Instead, they are faced with a traumatic experience that could have lasting effects on their mental health and ability to adapt,” Mikloško remarked.

Several political parties also reacted to the situation, with the leading opposition party Progressive Slovakia (PS/Renew) calling on Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico (Smer-SD/NI) to convene a security council, stressing the psychological toll on children.

The opposition Freedom and Solidarity Party (SaS) criticised the Interior Ministry for failing to take adequate measures to prevent such incidents and said it would call an extraordinary session of parliament to discuss the situation in the police corps and security in Slovakia.

(Aneta Zachová | Euractiv.cz, Natália Silenská | Euractiv.sk)