With a one-day national mourning shortly before Christmas, the Czech Republic commemorated the dead and injured after the devastating gun attack on Charles University in Prague. On Saturday, flags flew at half-mast and had a black band on public buildings such as schools and town halls. Liberal-conservative Prime Minister Petr Fiala called on people to observe a minute’s silence at 12 noon. Retailers have announced that they are participating. Most Advent and cultural events have been cancelled. The television stations changed their programming.
A student killed fourteen people in the main building of the Faculty of Arts in central Prague on Thursday. According to the police’s initial findings, he then shot himself and had an entire arsenal of weapons. Before this act, the 24-year-old is said to have killed his father, a walker and his daughter a week ago.
The funeral services were to take place in Prague’s St. Vitus Cathedral and in many other churches. People continued to lay flowers and light candles in front of the university buildings in Prague. Meanwhile, the first names of the deceased were announced, including that of the head of the Institute of Musicology at Charles University, Lenka Hlavkova. Expressions of condolence poured in from many parts of the world.
In the past, national mourning was declared in 2011 following the death of former Czechoslovak and Czech President Vaclav Havel. (sda/dpa)
Soource :Watson
I am Amelia James, a passionate journalist with a deep-rooted interest in current affairs. I have more than five years of experience in the media industry, working both as an author and editor for 24 Instant News. My main focus lies in international news, particularly regional conflicts and political issues around the world.
