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 one 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, as reported by 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.

ORF and Vienna Public Transport Commemorate 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 Lines also joined the minute of silence. Around 900 vehicles in service were supposed to stop for exactly one minute, as stated in a previous announcement. The minute of mourning was also announced via an announcement.

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 Rampage in Graz

The National Security Council was convened on Tuesday and will meet on Thursday at 2:00 PM in the Parliament. It is an advisory body of the federal government on matters of foreign, security, and defense policy. 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 to provide advice.

(APA/Red)

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