Al-Madinah School and Zayed College for Girls in South Auckland, were placed in lockdown today following threats received early this morning. Both schools have confirmed the lockdown and have been closed for the day.
Police are investigating after an alarming email was sent to staff at Al-Madinah School. The email included a video showing a man with guns randomly shooting from a car. While the video was not filmed at the school, police recommended the lockdown as a precaution.
Al-Madinah staff member Amjad Ali confirmed to RNZ that the video was received late last night. He assured the public that “everyone is safe” and urged calm.
A third Islamic school, Iqra Primary School in New Lynn, is also on restricted access due to the threat. Zeeshan Syed, father of Iqra student Neylah Sahasmeen Syeda, told Siasat.com that the school is safe, but students are being kept indoors. Parents have been instructed to pick up their children from inside the school premises at 3 p.m.
Zayed College for Girls announced on its website that the school is closed following a suspicious call related to Al-Madinah. Police are present at both schools, and investigations are ongoing.
The Federation of Islamic Associations of New Zealand (FIANZ) expressed concern for the well-being and safety of the students. They criticized the government’s decision to defund key national security frameworks, linking it to the rise in such threats.
FIANZ further warned that threats of this nature could target various vulnerable communities, not just Islamic schools.
The Ministry of Education has been in contact with the affected schools and offered support where needed.
Both schools cater to the academic and Islamic education of their students, with Al-Madinah offering a full New Zealand Curriculum and Zayed College for Girls serving Year 7 to Year 13 students.
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