Bomb threats force school evacuations in Florence and across Italy

Schools across Florence and several other parts of Tuscany were evacuated on Wednesday, November 11, 2026, after anonymous emails warning of possible explosive devices were sent to educational institutions across Italy.

Dozen of schools in Florence and its metropolitan area were reportedly affected. Similar alerts prompted evacuations in the provinces of Arezzo, Lucca, Pisa and Siena, involving children and students from nursery schools to secondary schools.

Police and other security personnel were carrying out checks at the affected buildings. There were no confirmed reports of explosives being found in the initial information released.

The incidents form part of a nationwide wave of bomb threats affecting more than 100 schools, with the number of institutions reporting alerts continuing to rise during the morning.

More than 100 schools receive threatening emails

The evacuations in Tuscany were part of a much wider incident involving schools throughout Italy.

A single threatening email was distributed to educational institutions in different cities. The message claimed that an explosive device had been left inside a school building and could be detonated remotely.

The email also contained violent threats against Italians and was signed using a purported extremist identity. The identity and authenticity of the sender had not been established.

More than 100 schools had reported receiving the threat, according to the initial information, and the number was still increasing.

The latest incident follows another mass email campaign in recent days, when a similar threatening message was reportedly sent to 280 school headteachers.

Alerts follow recent bomb threats involving aircraft

The school evacuations come just days after a series of bomb alerts involving aircraft in Italy, adding to concerns about the disruption caused by anonymous security threats.

Although schools and aircraft present different security challenges, both types of incident require authorities to assess the credibility of warnings and take precautionary measures where necessary.

The repeated alerts have raised questions about whether the incidents are coordinated or involve individuals deliberately attempting to disrupt public services.

However, there has been no confirmed evidence establishing a direct connection between the threats targeting schools and those involving aircraft.

On November 5, bomb warnings sent by email affected flights across Europe, including aircraft travelling to Rome Fiumicino and Milan Malpensa airports.

Several flights were subjected to emergency security procedures. A Finnair aircraft travelling from Helsinki to Rome was escorted by Italian Air Force Eurofighter jets deployed from the Grosseto military airbase in southern Tuscany. The aircraft landed safely, and subsequent checks found no explosives. ANSA.it+1

Other alerts involved flights arriving from Dublin, Thessaloniki and Porto. Security checks on the aircraft involved in the Italian incidents found no explosive devices.

The aviation threats prompted investigations by Italian prosecutors and specialist police units. Investigators have also been examining possible connections with threatening emails sent to hundreds of Italian schools on November 2.

Authorities have considered the possibility of a coordinated campaign involving multiple European countries, although responsibility has not been established. Ansa.it+2

Authorities investigate repeated threats

Italian Defence Minister Guido Crosetto said the repeated bomb warnings could be intended to spread fear and uncertainty, but cautioned against assuming that every incident was part of an organised campaign.

Speaking about the recent school alerts, Crosetto said that modern communication tools made it relatively easy for individuals to send threatening messages to schools, airports and other public facilities.

He explained that investigators must distinguish between potentially serious threats, organised attempts to cause disruption and hoaxes carried out by individuals acting independently.

The latest school evacuations highlight the consequences of such warnings, even when no explosive device is found. Emergency procedures can interrupt lessons, require parents to collect children and divert police resources towards security checks.

For families in Florence and across Tuscany, the immediate concern remains the safe completion of inspections and the reopening of affected schools.

As of the initial reports on Wednesday morning, authorities had not announced a confirmed link between the latest school threats and the earlier aviation incidents.

❤️ Support Florence Daily News

If you liked this article, please consider supporting Florence Daily News.

We are an independent news site, free from paywalls and intrusive ads, committed to providing clear and reliable reporting on Florence and Tuscany for everyone.

Your support — whether a one-time gift or a regular contribution — helps us stay independent and keep telling the stories that matter.

Donate securely via Stripe below.