Austria Comes to a Standstill: Minute of Silence Held After Rampage at Graz School
A day after the shooting spree at a Graz school with eleven dead, a nationwide minute of silence was held in Austria on Wednesday at 10:00 AM. The local churches participated with mourning bells, and in Vienna, the mourning bell of St. Stephen's Cathedral, the "Halbpummerin," was rung. The ORF interrupted its TV and radio programs, and the Vienna public transport stopped around 900 vehicles for a minute. At the beginning of the cabinet meeting, a minute of mourning was also observed.
No decisions and no media appearances at the cabinet meeting in Vienna
The federal government did meet for the cabinet meeting, but the planned decisions were postponed, and there were no media statements. After the bloodshed, in which a 21-year-old former student of the upper secondary school Dreierschützengasse killed ten people and himself, the government had already declared a three-day national mourning. Black flags were hoisted, and the Austrian flag was flown at half-mast on all public buildings.
In some cases, the church bells began to ring only after the minute of mourning - at 10:01 AM - for example, in Vorarlberg, reported Kathpress in advance. The local churches set a "sign of mourning and solidarity with the victims of the shooting spree and their relatives," it was said.
All of Austria commemorates the victims in Graz
According to a release, ORF participated in the minute of mourning on ORF 1, ORF 2, ORF III, and ORF SPORT+ and displayed "Austria mourns - In memory of the victims of the shooting spree in Graz" in its program. The ORF radios broadcast "a moment of silence for the victims of the shooting spree in Graz and their relatives."
The Vienna public transport also joined the minute of silence. Around 900 vehicles in service were to stop for exactly one minute, as previously announced in a release. The minute of mourning was also announced via announcement.
A moment of silence was observed during the minute of mourning under a cloudy sky also at the St. Pölten town hall square. Before and after, the Graz rampage was naturally the main topic in the numerous coffee houses. Meanwhile, a larger group of students distracted themselves from the events with a city tour.
Church services in Graz on Tuesday evening
Already on Tuesday evening, a memorial service was held in the Graz Cathedral. The federal government and the Styrian state government leaders, as well as representatives of the city, were also present. There was also a service in the St. Vincent school district church near the crime scene. The Islamic Religious Community in Austria (IGGÖ) commemorated the victims in the Styrian mosques following the daily evening prayer. After 9:00 p.m., hundreds of people gathered at the Graz main square for a sea of lights. They lit candles in front of the Archduke Johann fountain.
ÖFB players with mourning armbands in San Marino
Already on Tuesday evening, the Austrian national football team, the opposing team, and the spectators held a minute of silence before the World Cup qualifying match in San Marino in Serravalle. The ÖFB team players also wore mourning armbands on their arms.
National Security Council convened after Graz rampage
The National Security Council was convened on Tuesday and will meet on Thursday at 2:00 p.m. in the parliament. It is an advisory body of the federal government on foreign, security, and defense policy matters. The National Security Council consists of the Chancellor, Vice-Chancellor, Foreign Minister, Interior Minister, Defense and Justice Minister, as well as representatives of the parties represented in the main committee of the National Council. Additionally, representatives of the Presidential Chancellery or the Conference of Provincial Governors, the Secretary-General in the Foreign Office, the Chief of General Staff, the Director General for Public Security, and other officials are available for consultation.
(APA/Red)
This article has been automatically translated, read the original article here.