FULL: Meloni Vows to Fight Back After 6,300 Schools Across Italy Receive Bomb Threats | World News

Today, thousands of Italian schools received a message claiming there was a bomb. In many schools, the students were evacuated, and law enforcement searched classroom by classroom. And let me tell you right away the most important thing. Nothing was found in any school. I know that for many families, it was a day of fear or disruption. I clearly understand that. I do not underestimate it. I want to thank the school principals, teachers, and staff who managed everything in an orderly manner and kept the children calm. And I want to thank the men and women of law enforcement who inspected thousands of buildings in just a few hours. This is not the first time this has happened, and it does not only affect our nation. Today alone, in addition to Italy, the United Kingdom and Ireland were similarly affected. Last week, false reports of explosive devices on board aircraft forced dozens of flights across Europe to be diverted, some departing from or heading to Italy. Nothing was found on any plane. Over the same days, including today, similar messages reached newsrooms in other European countries. There, too, no explosive devices were found. From all of this, and I say this also following a meeting I held today at Palazzo Chigi with the relevant ministers and the heads of intelligence and cyber security, we take away three main points. First, to date, there is no evidence indicating a concrete danger. Second, these messages are not meant to strike. They are meant to scare. The people writing them want above all our fear. Lost days, suspicion, chaos. Third, on who is behind this, investigators and the judiciary are working alongside their European colleagues. I will not make hypotheses. When there are certainties, you will know them. But I must also tell you, with the honesty that defines me, another thing, is it possible that messages like these will continue to arrive? It will not be a sign that something failed. It will be proof that whoever sends them has nothing else, and they will find us ready. We are working to deploy all the tools at our disposal to minimize the impact of these attacks. Every alert will continue to be verified, one by one. I can assure you that we do not intend to lower our guard, because we will not allow an anonymous email to decide our children's school calendar. I have invited the opposition leaders to Palazzo Chigi for tomorrow. I thank them in advance for their presence. When it comes to the safety of Italians, starting with perceived safety, there is no majority and there is no opposition. There is Italy. Whoever did this wanted a paralyzed nation, wanted a frightened nation. They will find a nation that wakes up tomorrow, walks its children to school, and goes to work. And this is the best and strongest response we have to give.