Barclay Primary School in east London may need to close its doors for good after it was the target of a number of bomb and arson threats, GB News reported on Friday.
Lion Academy Trust, the party responsible for the school, warned parents that the school would have to adopt remote learning should the threats continue.
Lion Academy Trust said that remote learning was part of measures being taken “to secure the school for the benefit of children and staff” amid “despicable threats.”
On January 9, an anonymous caller “made a series of racial slurs and a further threat to commit criminal damage (arson) against the school and to individual staff,” someone familiar with the issue told GB News.
Police have been stationed outside the school, according to the source. A private security company, CCTV, and other security measures were also reportedly installed.
The school had been the site of a number of protests after the school had asked parents not to send their children in with flags. Additionally, a letter was sent to eight families asking they not allow their children to make “extremist or divisive comments.”
At the time of the protests, the school had decided to close early for Christmas break following a number of threats targeting staff.
The Evening Standard reported that before the break, men had managed to gain access to the school’s grounds, where they hung a Palestinian flag before fleeing.
A TikTok video had gone viral which accused the school of discriminating against an 8-year-old student of Palestinian descent. An investigation was launched into this accusation, which found no wrongdoing on the school’s part.
Staff member speaks to the press
A staff member at the school told the Telegraph, “Barclay Primary School is currently being targeted by a group of parents who are pushing a political agenda and accusations of Islamophobia by not adhering to the school’s uniform policy.
“Staff are being intimidated, bullied, abused, threatened, and confronted as a result of misinformation and manipulation of the trust for this agenda. I personally, am scared for my safety and all staff within the school.
“I am shocked that this is happening to a primary school. I chose to work at this school because it is one of the best in the country, and I value its dedication and hard work. What has been happening is unacceptable for the staff and children – no school should be subjected to this.”
