Schools in Australian capital city evacuated due to bomb threat

A total of nine Queensland schools have been evacuated after receiving threatening phone calls, mirroring recent events in Sydney and Melbourne, according to The Australian newspaper.

Police rushed to two Glasgow schools this morning after staff received a “bomb threat”.

The other schools in the city to be hit by hoax calls include Shireland Collegiate Academy, Bristnall Hall Academy, Perryfields High School, Hall Green Secondary School and Oldbury Academy.

New South Wales police called it “a pattern of hoax calls”.

“Also because of the worldwide nature of this threat, that adds another layer of complexity to the investigation so it may be some time before this investigation properly identifies, and we’re able to arrest, these people”, he said.

A spokeswoman for Police Scotland said: “Police Scotland is working to investigate who is responsible and whether yesterday’s incidents are linked to similar reports in England last week”.

“Schools are operating as normal and officers are continuing inquiries”.

The High School was put into lockdown in Sydney.

In some cases, bomb squads have searched school grounds and children have suffered heat stress after being forced out of air-conditioned classrooms and onto school ovals in stifling temperatures.

Evacuations were conducted in the Australian Capital Territory, New South Wales and Victoria since Friday due to threat calls.

Last Friday, at least 15 schools in NSW and Victoria were evacuated after receiving threatening phone calls that were found to be hoaxes.

Education Minister James Merlino the incidents had caused stress for school communities. A police spokeswoman confirmed a number of operations were underway but said there was “nothing to substantiate that there is anything serious at any of them at this stage”.