Bewilderment instead of a celebratory mood: After the devastating disaster that left 15 dead, sadness covers the otherwise lively Golden City – a local ‘crowning’ eye.
In inhospitable wet snow, icy winds and cloudy skies, hundreds of people gather in front of the University of Prague the day after the unprecedented massacre. They lay flowers, light candles, say silent prayers and have tears in their eyes. In interviews with the “Krone” they shake their heads in horror and curse the frenzy. Even mothers with strollers are here to pay their last respects to relatives or friends who have been murdered. Marek, a young man with yellow flowers in his hand, says: “Cursed! One of my best friends was murdered here. This is by far the worst Christmas of my life!”
Night of mourning
Tourists crossing the Vltava via the Charles Bridge have lost some of their joy in the cultural city due to this Christmas tragedy. In the adjacent Café Museum we talk to Renata, a lady who witnessed the massacre the day before yesterday.
She shows us photos on her cell phone of the police operation and the students who were able to escape the gunman on canopies. Six black flags fly on the beautiful building across the street. Christmas in Prague this year is not the night of peace, but the night of mourning. “How can such a disaster be prevented?” a Czech TV reporter asks the group. She gets no answer.
City tourism continues
Meanwhile, a private security force in blue overalls tries to secure the crime scene. Now, the next day, they seem as helpless as tin soldiers on the edge of a theater of war. So while the shadow of the massacre hangs over the university, life, i.e. city tourism in Prague, continues relatively normally. Wenceslas Square is bustling with foreign guests.
Many people did not even notice the carnage. A pizza owner plays the song “Bella Ciao” loudly. An attempt to break the eerie silence in the Golden City. To some extent he succeeds.
Source: Krone
I am Wallace Jones, an experienced journalist. I specialize in writing for the world section of Today Times Live. With over a decade of experience, I have developed an eye for detail when it comes to reporting on local and global stories. My passion lies in uncovering the truth through my investigative skills and creating thought-provoking content that resonates with readers worldwide.
