Graz commemorates the victims of the rampage: Memorial service at the main square

For about an hour on early Sunday evening, people paused at Graz's main square to remember the victims of Tuesday's rampage, when nine students and a teacher were killed and eleven injured at BORG Dreierschützengasse. The politicians kept their speeches brief, focusing on the question of why. The speech by the school representative, who asked the gathered top politicians, "Please, dear government, change something," received applause from the approximately 4,500 participants.

The students and teachers, the city of Graz, Styria, and the Republic commemorated the victims of the rampage at BORG Dreierschützengasse on Sunday at 6:00 PM at Graz's main square. The entire state government, the city government, former Governor Waltraud Klasnic (ÖVP), and Diocesan Bishop Wilhelm Krautwaschl were present, along with around 130 students and relatives. State Secretary Alexander Pröll (ÖVP) spoke on behalf of Chancellor Christian Stocker, following Federal President Alexander Van der Bellen, who sent a video message offering courage and comfort to students and parents.

According to the city of Graz and the mayor's office, the approximately one-hour event will include speeches and messages lasting no more than five minutes from students, parent representatives, and musical pieces. The latter will be performed by students themselves, the HIB art choir, and the University of Music and Performing Arts Graz (KUG). The politicians intend to hold back on this day of mourning: Federal President Alexander Van der Bellen will send a video message to be shown at the beginning. The president had already spoken with students, parents, and emergency services immediately after the rampage. Chancellor Christian Stocker's (ÖVP) speech will be followed by a statement from the school representative.

Rampage in Graz: Speech-Splitting by Politicians, Focus on Those Affected

Governor Mario Kunasek (FPÖ) and Mayor Elke Kahr (KPÖ) have agreed to share their speaking times. Kahr will address the mourners at the main square on Sunday evening after Federal President Van der Bellen, Chancellor Stocker, and the school representative. Kunasek, who will be present on Sunday, will speak at the interfaith memorial service at Graz Cathedral on Tuesday, while Kahr will "merely" be among the mourners on that day. After the politicians' speeches, there will be speeches from the parents' association and an "Interfaith Impulse" from religious representatives. Musical pieces planned include "We are the World" and, as a conclusion, "Imagine."

The memorial service for several thousand people has led to closures of public transport in the city center. Replacement buses ran for trams through Herrengasse until 8:00 PM. Individual traffic was restricted in some areas. Portable toilets were set up at the main square and in the surrounding streets and alleys. The Red Cross established contact points. Police and security services were present in large numbers. For those who could not find a place at the main square - the entire square had been cleared of the usual sausage stands and the like - video walls were set up to follow the ceremony on the stage in front of the town hall.

Pröll said he could not find the right words. "How do you comfort parents who have lost their child? Maybe it's not about the right words, but about being here and being together." What can be done today is to listen and empathize and to say, "I am here," said Pröll, who represented the federal government along with SPÖ State Secretary Jörg Leichtfried.

Also on the video wall was a statement from the school representative Ennio Resnik: "Dear World! The BORG has burned itself into the collective memory in recent days. I want people to look me in the eyes and understand what has happened. I want the world and politics to wake up." He wanted - and it didn't matter whether Buddhist or Muslim or Christian or Jew, whether diverse or different - everyone to see that "You are the light of the world," Resnik addressed his schoolmates. He also wanted to find words, but he couldn't. He couldn't describe how infinitely sorry he was. But he also wanted to thank: "Security forces, teachers, caregivers, parents - thank you for how you acted, your performance was, is, and remains superhuman."

"He Failed. We Won Because We Can Love."

Then Resnik indirectly addressed the perpetrator: "He wanted us to be afraid, to hate, to fall apart. But he failed because we can love and are stronger. We have already won. Stick together. You are the light of the world." And suddenly people began to clap, first from the end of the square, then across the entire main square. And as all the students gathered on the stage and held hands, under the sounds of the hopeful song "We are the World," sung by the HIB art choir, Resnik personally addressed the politicians: "Please, dear government, change something. Thank you."

Mayor Elke Kahr (KPÖ) began her speech with "128 hours". That many have passed since the unimaginable act of violence that extinguished ten lives. Many people have searched for explanations. "There are none. Only one path: that of solidarity, compassion, humanity, and prudence. This is what characterizes our city and its people during this time. Thank you to everyone who has given their best for others." Many have already resigned themselves to hate and violence as part of life, many look away. From there, it is only a small step to escalation. But: "Looking forward means changing something so that our children and young people can feel safe and comfortable," said the mayor. Kahr also received applause at this point.

"A School Where No One Is Overlooked"

Parents' representative Mirza Candic thanked, among others, the emergency services and the teachers, "who protected and accompanied our children. And above all, thank you to our children, who showed courage and strength, helped each other, and protected themselves. We will never forget the hours of waiting for a sign of life. We also do not want to return to the old normality, we demand space to process everything, we want a school where no one is overlooked," said Candic to applause from the approximately 4,500 to 5,000 participants, according to police count.

After speeches in the form of an "Interreligious Impulse" by representatives of the religious communities - Inga Margereta Brenner from the Buddhist Religious Community, Superintendent Wolfgang Rehner from the Evangelical Church, the Catholic cathedral and city pastor Ewald Pristavec, and Mehmet Celebi from the Islamic Religious Community - the memorial service drew to a close, at 30 degrees Celsius, but with a merciful light breeze. The essence: "Violence, in whatever form, must have no place in our society." And: "Let us choose life, let us choose togetherness." We have a shared responsibility for a society where children can live without fear. Perhaps the answer does not lie in big words, but in small gestures.

Emergency Services Sealed Off Access to the Main Square

As a conclusion, the HIB art choir performed John Lennon's "Imagine". According to the police, there were no incidents. Precautions were well taken. The emergency services had blocked every access to the main square with public transport buses, patrol cars, and even a heavy truck with building materials.

On Sunday, and again at the interfaith service on Tuesday at the Graz Cathedral, the ten killed and eleven injured people were remembered, who were shot by a former student at the school in Dreierschützengasse on Tuesday morning before he committed suicide. Almost exactly ten years ago, on June 28, 2015, a memorial service attended by over 12,000 people also took place at the main square for the three people who were killed during a rampage by a man through the city center eight days earlier. At that time, ÖVP Mayor Siegfried Nagl gave a moving, clear-sighted speech - Kahr's predecessor was almost a victim of the rampage himself back then.

Another Injured Person Transferred to General Ward

Regarding the injured, there was good news on Sunday: As a spokeswoman for the Styrian Hospital Association (KAGes) told the APA, all eleven injured from the rampage are medically stable. At the LKH University Hospital Graz, all six patients are in the general ward. At the UKH Graz, two of the five patients are still in the intensive care unit. One injured person was able to be transferred to the general ward.

In the online campaign by the #aufstehn initiative for an immediate ban on firearms for private individuals, which has been running since Wednesday, 88,100 people (as of late Sunday morning) have signed. The petition is addressed to Interior Minister Gerhard Karner (ÖVP) and the federal government.

Attacker's Headset Was Hearing Protection

According to the Styrian police on Sunday, in response to an APA inquiry, it has now been confirmed that the attacker's headset was a hearing protection device similar to those used on a shooting range. This hearing protection was not capable of sending or receiving, said a police spokesperson. On the Ministry of the Interior's upload platform, where videos and photos can be uploaded for the police, additional information had been added by late Sunday morning: On Saturday morning, there were 790 files, including 378 videos, and now investigators were evaluating 846 files and 379 videos, said police spokesperson Sabri Yorgun to the APA. The platform remains online, and witnesses can continue to upload files at https://upload.bmi.gv.at/. They are very grateful for the information still coming in and are following up on every lead.

Rampage in Graz: More Uploaded Tips, Injured Stable

The police continued to follow up on tips regarding the Graz rampage on Tuesday, which were received through the electronic file upload platform. Through the investigations, they are also reaching more witnesses, said a police spokesperson to the APA. The condition of the eleven injured in two Graz hospitals remains unchanged and stable, according to KAGes. The state parliament opposition criticized on Saturday cuts in areas including violence prevention, which the ruling party FPÖ rejected.

The investigators also focused on the weekend on interviewing over 100 witnesses. Additionally, the data from the search of the perpetrator's apartment is being evaluated. This also applies to those from the Ministry of the Interior's platform, where videos and photos can be uploaded for the police. On Friday morning, there were 683 files, including 371 videos. By late Saturday morning, there were already 790 files, including 378 videos, said police spokesperson Sabri Yorgun to the APA. The platform remains online, and witnesses can continue to upload files at https://upload.bmi.gv.at/.

Police Screens Profiles, Political Debate

The profiles of the 21-year-old shooter "in the virtual world" are also being investigated, according to the police. They are screening profiles through which he may have been in contact with others during shooter games. This is being done with regard to possible accomplices. They did not want to communicate about any contacts the 21-year-old may have had during the murders through the headset he was wearing. In the settlement in Kalsdorf in the Graz-Umgebung district, where the perpetrator lived, it has now become quiet. Neighbors had felt harassed by numerous media representatives, among others, which is why police had to maintain order.

The opposition parties in the Styrian state parliament - SPÖ, Greens, NEOS, and KPÖ - collectively criticized on Saturday the planned cuts in the social sector and especially in violence prevention and extremism combat. This is particularly dangerous after the Graz rampage. The parties want to address the matter in the state parliament. The ruling party FPÖ dismissed the criticism as "excessive and fact-free outrage of the opposition parties." The state government has ensured that particularly sensitive areas - such as child and youth welfare, disability services, senior associations, and violence protection - are as little affected by cuts as possible, said club chairman Marco Triller.

The city of Graz has set up a donation account to stand by the victims of the rampage "with full solidarity." The donation account was established by Mayor Elke Kahr (KPÖ) and in agreement with the school principal. The recipient is: Graz - Standing Together Donations BORG Dreierschützengasse. IBAN: AT59 1400 0009 1026 0197. The city will also cover the funeral costs for the victims of the rampage.

(APA/Red)

This article has been automatically translated, read the original article here.