Amsterdam primary school closed over threat; Boy held for earlier school shooting threat
A primary school in Amsterdam-Zuid decided to close its doors on Thursday morning after a threat involving the school was sent on Snapchat. It is the second school to close this week after becoming the subject of a violent threat on the messaging service. A 14-year-old boy was arrested on Wednesday for posting a threat against a secondary school
De Notenkraker, a primary school on Theophile de Bockstraat in Amsterdam-Zuid informed parents on Thursday morning about the situation. The school decided to stay closed while an investigation determines the legitimacy of the threat, which was distributed the prior evening on Snapchat. The decision to close is “for the safety of children and employees,” school leader Antoinette van Zalinge wrote in the letter.
"We have not yet received any reassurance from the police on how to interpret this," the school wrote in a memo to parents, according to Parool. Part of the investigation was to determine if the incident was a copycat of another threat made against a secondary school earlier this week, or previous incidents in the area.
Meanwhile, police in Amsterdam arrested a 14-year-old resident of the city for threats regarding a possible shooting at a secondary school in Amsterdam-Oost. The threat prompted the head of the school, Spinoza20first, to shut down the facility on Wednesday, and to reschedule or move exams. Once the arrest was announced, the school cancelled plans to remain closed on Thursday.
The threat went viral on Snapchat on Tuesday evening. It stated, “Spinoza shooting tomorrow?? Watch out for people on spinoza20first!!" It also specified a timeframe from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m.
“The detective started an investigation after a report of the threat was received on Tuesday evening, May 23,” police said. “The minor suspect is in custody and the investigation is still ongoing.”
"You never know for sure whether someone who has been arrested is really the perpetrator, but according to the police it is someone who is very closely linked to the situation," said Jan Paul Beekman, the head of Spinoza20first.
The secondary school is located on H.J.E. Wenckebachweg. Beekman, told AT5 that the school would open back up on Thursday. Initially, the school had announced it would remain closed for a second day while the investigation was ongoing. Once the arrest was made, the school board was hesitant to open on Thursday considering the tumult caused by the threat.
“Now that we have taken stock, it is still important that we are open to the students and that they can physically go to school. We are alert, but we are most concerned about the impact this has had on the children; they and our colleagues come first. We therefore will not start with lessons immediately, but first we want to see how everyone is doing," Beekman said.
Plans to move courses online and relocate exams to a secondary school in Amsterdam-Zuid were cancelled.
