A significant police presence was deployed across Duisburg, Germany, on Monday after several schools in the city closed due to anonymous threats, DW reports.
More than 17,000 students were forced into online learning as 14 schools in Duisburg temporarily shut their doors. The closure followed the receipt of threatening letters that were sent to the schools.
The first letter, which arrived on Friday, warned of potential criminal actions scheduled for Monday. A second letter, received on Sunday, extended the threats to an additional 13 schools in the city.
Authorities in North Rhine-Westphalia confirmed that the letters contained “threatening and right-wing extremist statements.” Despite experts from Duisburg’s State Security Service expressing doubts about the seriousness of the threats, local officials took the matter seriously.
To ensure safety, in-person classes were suspended at all secondary and comprehensive schools, as well as one grammar school in Duisburg. Some schools offered online classes as an alternative.
According to the Westdeutsche Allgemeine Zeitung, the threat was classified as “Threat Level 2,” which refers to the potential for violent attacks or death threats affecting multiple students.
While some schools remained open, parents were given the option to decide whether to send their children to class. Investigations are ongoing to determine the identity and motivation of the person behind the threats.
Saharareporters
