A school has raised concerns over a troubling social media trend named ‘School Wars,’ where students are encouraged to target peers from rival schools for points. The trend has gained traction in London, particularly through ‘Red vs Blue’ posts circulating widely on social platforms, prompting several schools in the capital to close early to prevent potential confrontations.
Wickersley School and Sports College in Rotherham has alerted parents about being a possible target in the School Wars. The school emphasized the need for caution, stating that the trend involves identifying students based on their school uniforms and awarding points for attacks using items like scissors, compasses, rulers, as well as physical assaults like punches and slaps.
While acknowledging the social media rumors, the school stressed the importance of student safety and advised students to travel in groups or pairs, seek refuge in safe places if feeling threatened, and discussed the situation with students to raise awareness and precautionary measures.
In a related incident, students at a secondary school in Essex were advised not to wear their blazers while commuting to avoid being identified. The circulation of ‘Red vs Blue’ videos has prompted police presence outside schools and the issuance of emergency dispersal orders.
The origin of the ‘wars’ dates back to London in February, with AI-generated images of individuals in balaclavas circulating on TikTok and Snapchat. Boroughs like Hackney, Islington, Redbridge, and Croydon were involved in the ‘Red vs Blue’ conflicts, with a total of 26 schools divided into teams.
These developments reflect a concerning trend of online challenges translating into real-world threats, highlighting the need for vigilance and proactive measures to ensure student safety and prevent potential incidents.