Threats sent to UK and Irish schools dismissed as hoax

Reuters reports that police in Scotland, Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland judged a threatening email sent to large numbers of schools to be a hoax from outside the UK, and it attributes each assessment to the police force that made it. Reuters mentions evacuations only in Italy and does not say that schools in Scotland and Northern Ireland evacuated pupils, which other outlets reported. A reader could think the threats caused no disruption there, a minor gap.

1. Leaves out what changes the picture

   Minor

   What is missing

   Reuters mentions evacuations only in Italy and never says that schools in Scotland and Northern Ireland had activated emergency protocols and sent pupils out before police called the threat a hoax. A reader could come away thinking the threats caused no disruption in the UK or Ireland.

   How we know

   • The Sun reported“A number of schools are currently being evacuated following the security alert.”Schools across Scotland EVACUATED & cops called in over ‘bomb threats’ as pupils & staff ushered from premises (opens in a new tab)
   • Daily Mail reported“Thousands of pupils were sent home for the day following the threats to schools in Scotland”Schools evacuated across Scotland and Northern Ireland after nearly 800 receive 'bomb threats' in second wave of suspicious emails (opens in a new tab)

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