Supposed threats of attacks change routine in schools – 04/11/2023 – Daily life

The same photo, of guns and knives laid out on top of a bed, has been circulating among groups of parents, students and teachers with the threat of attacks on schools in different cities across the country. Despite the indications that it is a false alarm, these messages have been worrying and changing the school routine.

Teachers report finding students crying, parents picking up their children from school ahead of time and teaching units that have suspended activities in the courtyard for fear of being the target of attacks. Experts and security bodies, however, say monitoring of these messages indicates that most of them are intended to create panic.

“Since Sunday (9) our monitoring has identified an explosion in the circulation of messages threatening schools. They use the same photo, they just change the name of the school, neighborhood or city to threaten. This is causing a stoppage in schools”, says Luka Franca , one of the authors of the report that was delivered to the Lula government on actions to prevent attacks in the school environment.

She explains that this type of threat differs from the behavior observed in real attack situations — such as the death of four children at a day care center in Blumenau (SC), last week. “The latest cases we’ve had show that the perpetrators took advantage of the element of surprise to victimize more people. That’s their objective: to leave more victims. Those who spread these messages want to create panic.”

Although the elements indicate that the warnings circulating are false, experts and authorities recommend that any threat be reported to the Civil Police and through the channels created by the Ministry of Justice for investigation. Those who produce and even those who share these messages can respond for misdemeanor.

“The complaint is important so that you can identify the patterns of who may attempt an attack or someone who wants to create panic. It is important that the police identify these people who are making threats because they are helping to incite new attacks”, says Letícia Oliveira, also a co-author of the report.

According to her, the flood of threats could reinforce the effect of contagion verified among the recent attacks in the country. “We cannot fall into panic, but we cannot ignore it either. It is necessary to identify who is behind these threats and what is the purpose of these people in spreading fear.”

According to the Secretariat of Public Security of São Paulo, the Military Police maintain contact with the school boards and 566 military police officers act in policing carried out around the educational units through the Ronda Escolar. Patrolling in the vicinity is also done by police on foot and on motorcycles.

Also according to the folder, all cases of threat are investigated and the directors of the teaching units are on alert for any complaint, which, if confirmed, is dealt with jointly with the Childhood and Youth Court.

Despite the authorities’ guidance to maintain activities normally, the alerts have led private schools and universities to adopt measures to increase the sense of security.

In Brasilia, for example, a school changed the test calendar so as not to coincide with April 20, the date on which, according to publications circulating on social media, new attacks are announced —the date coincides with the Columbine massacre that resulted in the deaths of 15 people in the United States in 1999, and the birthday of Nazi dictator Adolf Hitler.

In the capital of São Paulo, educational institutions say they have strengthened security, limited visits to the campus or requested reinforcement of patrols in the region.

Some ask those responsible for the students to pay attention to “the slightest sign of unusual behavior” and communicate with the school, while others say that those responsible should instruct their children to use social networks safely. None of the units, however, mentions the suspension of classes due to the threats.

The feeling for families and students is still helpless. A mother of a 15-year-old girl who studies at the state school in São Paulo says she is scared by the advertisements that circulate on social networks. She is the aunt of a student at Thomazia Montoro, where an attack last March 27 resulted in the death of a teacher, and her daughter’s boyfriend also studies at the same school.

That is why she was the one who looked for the young people on the day of the attack and says that, in addition to causing fear, the threats make her want educational institutions to reinforce security so that her daughter can go back to school.

She reports that the young woman has been at home for a week without going to school due to fear and shares her daughter’s fear of keeping her awake at night. Faced with threats and scares, she says that she prefers her daughter at home without going to school because she is afraid of something happening and feeling guilty afterwards.

Fear is not restricted to family members who have had contact with recent attacks or schools that have been the target of threats on social networks. At another school in São Paulo, a teacher who asked not to be identified reports that students have asked him why the school does not have armed security guards.

Despite the generalized feeling of insecurity in the country, companies responsible for social networks have not collaborated with the authorities to remove content that threatens and promotes perpetrators of previous attacks.

Faced with recent episodes of attacks and a generalized feeling of insecurity in the country, companies responsible for social networks participated in a meeting at the Ministry of Justice this Monday (10).

During the meeting, which was attended by representatives of YouTube, Meta, Twitter, Kwai, TikTok, WhatsApp and Google, the folder asked that platforms combat more efficiently profiles that advocate violence or threaten schools.

Twitter’s position, however, generated discomfort at the meeting. On the platform, the report found dozens of users with names that glorify the author of the massacre in Suzano (which left eight dead in 2019), posts in which there are threats to schools with images of weapons and messages that make an apology for Nazism.

Sought, the social network responded with a poop emoji, a practice instituted by the company since March 19. The Federal Public Prosecutor’s Office in São Paulo demanded that the company inform whether it is taking measures to moderate publications that may configure incitement to violence and attacks on schools.

In addition to Twitter, WhatsApp says it does not have access to the content of messages exchanged between users and does not moderate content. However, the social network claims not to allow use for illicit purposes or that instigates or encourages conduct that is illicit or inappropriate. In cases of violation of the terms, accounts may be disabled or suspended.

In a note, Kwai states that it works to combat information that threatens society and emphasizes that it closely monitors discussions on the subject. The company is also available to cooperate with the Brazilian authorities.

TikTok also says it has no room for violent extremism and that it works to remove any content and individuals that undermine “the creative and joyful experience people have come to expect on our platform.”

Google reports that it has been working in partnership with other public bodies and civil society organizations to protect people from harmful content that violates our policies and violates our Community Guidelines, such as hate speech and other violence.

The report also sought out Meta, responsible for Instagram and Facebook. The company says it does not allow organizations or individuals who advertise a violent mission or who are involved in violence to have a presence on the platforms. In addition, it provides tools for parents and guardians to supervise the use of their children’s social networks in the applications. Finally, the company asks people to report content that violates the rules and says it collaborates with local authorities and responds to government requests for data under the law.

---

What to do?

• Experts say threats should not be ignored. It is necessary to identify who is behind them and what is the purpose of the authors
• Report it. Even if these are false threats, experts point out that the Civil Police and channels created by the Ministry of Justice need to be notified, as those who share this message can also respond criminally for the threat.
• Parents, students and schools should maintain a close dialogue about threats, fears and measures taken. The transparency of actions is important to increase the sense of security
• Schools value strengthening safety and communicating with parents and guardians of students. It is important, according to educational institutions, that any change in student behavior is reported to the school.

How to report threats of attacks against schools

• As part of the Safe School Operation, the Ministry of Justice launched a channel on the website for websites, blogs and publications on social networks to be denounced. The website for reporting is www.mj.gov.br/escolasegura
• In São Paulo, in the event of a threat, it is possible to call 181, a police channel that allows anyone to provide the police with information about crimes and forms of violence, with a guarantee of anonymity.