Multiple Bomb Threats Against Schools in Austria

In the Tyrolean state capital Innsbruck alone, 33 compulsory schools were affected, and five were counted in Graz. In all cases, however, there was no immediate danger, it was said. After a corresponding email over the weekend, the AHS Vienna West in the Penzing district remained closed for the search at the beginning of the week, a police spokesman confirmed an online report by the "Kronen Zeitung".

In Innsbruck, a "general threat" was received by email at "several institutions", as police spokesman Stefan Eder explained to the APA. As a result, classes at the affected schools were either ended prematurely or interrupted. In the state capital, all 33 compulsory schools were affected, as the city announced. The officials in the town hall spoke of the schools being "evacuated" at 11.30 am, but already "released for classes" at 12.15 pm. As the Tyrolean Education Directorate let the APA know, the bomb threats in Innsbruck were also directed against three higher schools. There was never a "specific threat", the police spokesman emphasized. However, they take the bomb threats "very seriously".

Connection with Identified Swiss Likely

Emails had been sent to the five affected schools in Graz on Monday night, as a police spokesman told the APA. Two of them did not have to be evacuated because the parents of the students were warned early enough. The search of three school locations did not reveal any evidence of explosives. The searches were still ongoing at the other schools. "Affected are the AHS and elementary school Reininghaus, the VS St. Andrä, VS St. Leonhard, VS Jägergrund and VS Peter-Rosegger", said the press spokesman of the Styrian State Police Directorate. The police did not assume any immediate danger.

Meanwhile, a precautionary measure was also taken in Upper Austria: Because in Linz, a bomb threat was received by email at a private school on Monday morning. According to the police, the grammar school then independently stopped operations and informed the police. They searched the building, the operation was still ongoing late in the morning. Every threat is taken seriously and the necessary measures are taken, the executive said. Nevertheless, the investigators seem to find it likely that there is a connection with that 20-year-old Swiss, against whom a procedure is already underway due to numerous bomb threats in Austria.

Possible Reason for Parents' Absence from Work

The Austrian Trade Union Federation (ÖGB) informed the APA about labor law provisions for parents with children at the affected schools. "If a school is closed out of turn, then parents generally have the right to leave their workplace to pick up their child and then look after it," it was emphasized. This is a reason for absence from work, but only applies if I have no other possibility of care and the care is actually necessary.

(APA/Red)

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