Children at three Jewish schools in London put on alert this week over bomb threats
Children at Jewish schools in the London neighbourhoods of Roehampton, Ilford and Brent were put on emergency alert this week after a series of bombs threats were received. From 10:30 on Monday morning, the Metropolitan Police Service began responding to reports from the schools that they had received calls warning them that bombs had been planted on their premises.
Whilst specialist officers searched the schools, other Jewish schools, including at least one primary school, adopted emergency lockdown procedures, and all Jewish schools across the UK were placed on heightened alert.
The Metropolitan Police Service said: “Police officers attended the schools. All three incidents were stood down a short time later. An investigation into the threat will be conducted.”
It is understood that hoax calls were also made to a small number of non-Jewish schools.
A number of Jewish community centres in the United States were also targeted, but at this time there is no evidence to suggest that the threats were coordinated.
Threats to Jewish schools are by no means unprecedented and Jewish schoolchildren grow up used to having to be educated under guard, with airport-style security measures often used and regular drills on security procedures.