Nearly all primary schools in a town near Utrecht have been closed on Wednesday after receiving an e-mail threatening them with an armed attack.

Children in Baarn were sent home as a precaution while police investigated the e-mail, in which the sender claimed to have stockpiled weapons ready to unleash “the most dreadful attack in the history of the Netherlands”.

Primary schools took the decision to close on their own initiative while police investigate the message. Two schools, the Baarnsch Museum and Waldheimse Mavo, have stayed open but are being kept under surveillance by police vans.

Utrecht police said in a social media post there was “no indication that there is a serious threat [but] nevertheless an investigation has begun and we are monitoring the situation”.

In #Baarn is op alle scholen een #dreiging binnengekomen. Er is op dit moment geen aanwijzing dat het om een serieuze dreiging gaat. Desalniettemin is een onderzoek gestart en houden we toezicht.

— Politie Utrecht (@POL_Utrecht) April 9, 2025

An email to parents of children at the Nieuwe Baarnsche School reported by AD.nl explained: “Unfortunately we have to inform you that your child is unable to come to school today because of a serious message threatening danger to life that has been sent to all schools. The police are currently carrying out an investigation.”