Police assess school threat emails as hoaxes

Police Scotland said threatening emails sent to schools in Scotland and elsewhere in the UK on November 11, 2026, were being treated as hoaxes, while police and education officials in Northern Ireland investigated similar messages. The emails’ origin has not been established.

Police Scotland said its enquiries had found no indication that the messages represented a credible threat or a wider danger to the public. The force advised that schools did not need to evacuate or keep children away from education based solely on the emails. Its Cyber and Fraud Unit is investigating their source, with officers liaising with law enforcement partners in the UK and internationally.

In Edinburgh, schools were evacuated shortly before 10 a.m. Pupils later returned to class after police assessed the emails as not credible, the City of Edinburgh Council said. Glasgow schools also received threatening emails, according to Glasgow City Council, which said police had advised schools not to evacuate. Falkirk Council said its schools remained open under police advice and were staying vigilant.

Northern Ireland’s Education Authority said more than 300 schools had received a threatening message. The...