'Hoax' email threat that led to Strabane school closures slammed by local MLAs and raised at Stormont

Sinn Féin MLA Maolíosa McHugh said: “These threats against schools and schoolchildren are disturbing and disgraceful.

“The schools were forced to take no chances and close whilst the threats were properly investigated.

“Not only have these threats caused major disruption to all the schools in Strabane and further afield but they will have created great concern for parents and school children about safety at a location were safety should be paramount.

“Even though the PSNI have declared the threats as a hoax it is important that they quickly get to the bottom of where these threats came from and those responsible to offer reassurance to the local community.”

SDLP MLA Daniel McCrossan said: “Schools in Strabane and other areas were forced to close due to hoax threats causing widespread fear and disruption for children, parents, and staff alike.

"This is a disgraceful act. It has brought nothing but stress and uncertainty to hard-working families trying to go about their daily lives.

"Let me be clear those behind this have no place in our society. They do not represent the values of our community. While families try to raise children, educate them, and provide for them, others are intent on dragging us backwards with fear and intimidation.

"I commend the swift response by the PSNI and school staff who acted quickly to protect pupils but this should never have happened in the first place.”

Derry and Strabane police commander Gillian Kearney said police were treating the threatening email as a ‘hoax’.

Three Strabane schools decided not to open on Monday citing a ‘security concern’.

Holy Cross College, Strabane Academy and Strabane Primary School were among nine schools in the North who received the communication.

All three of the local schools informed pupils and parents that they would not be opening as a result of the emails.

Police said they are treating the matter as a hoax.

The PSNI received reports from three schools in Strabane, three schools in Ballycastle and three schools in Enniskillen stating that they had received an email during the early hours of Monday. Officers were immediately deployed to each school to engage with staff.

Checks have not, at this time, resulted in anything untoward at any of the schools. Based on enquiries and information to date, police are treating this as a hoax.

Enquiries are continuing.

The matter was raised by SDLP MLA Cara Hunter at Stormont on Monday.

"I express my concern following the disgraceful threats to schools across Northern Ireland today: in Strabane, in Ballycastle and many in Enniskillen.

"Those threats have resulted in the closure of Holy Cross College in Strabane, Strabane Academy, Strabane Primary School, Cross and Passion College in Ballycastle, Enniskillen Integrated Primary School and more, leaving teachers, principals, staff and pupils absolutely terrified.

"That is totally unacceptable. Information so far this morning reveals that there have been bomb threats and unconfirmed messages circulating on social media alluding to weapons having been left at campuses in Northern Ireland.

"The security threats follow on from a primary school in Lurgan receiving an anonymous, concerning phone call on 7 March that alluded to child safety concerns. As a result, the school had to step up its security and take further precautionary measures,” said Ms. Hunter.

Three schools in Enniskillen who received the email stayed open while the schools in Ballycastle and three in Strabane closed.

Derry and Strabane police commander Chief Superintendent Gillian Kearney said: "We take incidents of this nature very seriously and we understand the concern in the community, not to mention the disruption it has caused in each of the school communities and for students and parents.

"Thank you to each of the schools for their assistance with our enquiries to date.

"Our enquiries are ongoing and we will continue to liaise with each of the schools impacted to provide reassurance.

"We urge everyone, in the meantime, to be vigilant and report anything suspicious to police immediately by calling 101, or 999 in an emergency."

Holy Cross College announced it was closed via its social media channels.

“Unfortunately the school has to close today due to a security concern.

“Any children already en route, we would ask that parents make arrangements to collect them.

“We will update you all as soon as possible this morning,” it stated.

Strabane Academy issued a near identical message, also citing a ‘security concern’, as did Strabane Primary School.

Speaking at Stormont on Monday, Ms. Hunter said: “Our children in Northern Ireland deserve to feel safe. They deserve to experience education without there being any barrier to their safety.

"The mentality of those who threaten the safety of our children is absolutely unacceptable. We will not normalise that shameful and sinister behaviour. The perpetrators must be held accountable.

"I put it on the record that, as politicians in this Building, none of us will tolerate such despicable threats of violence towards our primary schools and our children, who are young and vulnerable.

"My ask is for the Minister of Education and the Department to conduct an immediate safety and security review of all 1,074 schools in the North to ensure that all our children are safe. I ask for that not to create hysteria but to make the safety, health and well-being of our children an absolute political priority.”