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The interior minister intervened shortly after 1 am Karl Nehammer Again before the press, and did not give the go-ahead, on the contrary. His call to the Viennese: “Stay home. Avoid downtown!” Children should also not be sent to school on Tuesday if possible, compulsory schooling is suspended that day. At the same time, Nehammer gave the terrorists his forehead verbally: “Whoever attacks one of us, attacks all of us.” The next information will be given at a press conference at 6 am
Chancellor Sebastian Kurz (ÖVP) reported the incidents on Monday night in central Vienna as “repulsive terrorist attack“I was” very professionally prepared “.” Our police will take decisive action against the perpetrators of this horrific terrorist attack. I’m glad our police officers have already been able to eliminate one perpetrator. Terrorism will never intimidate us and we will fight these attacks with all possible means “Kurz said.
Nothing really could be said about the background to the bloody act. Given the proximity of the crime scene to Vienna’s main synagogue, an anti-Semitic background cannot be ruled out.
“We are currently living difficult hours in our republic. I would like to thank all the emergency services who risk their lives, especially today for our safety. The whole country is on the minds of the victims, the injured and their families, to whom I express my deepest condolences, ”he said. Chancellor Kurz. He also thanked the leaders of the European Union and international partners for their sympathy and expressions of solidarity.
Assistance from the Armed Forces
In order for the police to fully focus on fighting terrorism, the federal government decided that Federal Army will take over the protection of property previously carried out by the police in Vienna with immediate effect, Kurz said. It is still unclear, “people should stay where they are.” It will depend on the development at night if the go ahead can be given in the morning, also for schoolchildren. Late at night, people who were “trapped” in pubs and entertainment halls were allowed to return home.
Federal president Alexander Van der Bellen He was deeply concerned and grateful for expressions of solidarity from other countries. His condolences go out to the victims and their families, Van der Bellen said. “We will defend together and decisively our freedom and democracy by all means”, stressed the federal president.
Heavily armed
Minister of interior Karl Nehammer (ÖVP) spoke of an “apparent terrorist attack” on Monday night after several shootings in the center of Vienna. Nehammer confirmed that there were several injured, there were also deaths. At around 11.30pm, Nehammer told ORF that the mission was still underway. One seeks several perpetrators, allegedly mobile, heavily armed. He could not say which rooms in Vienna are affected so as not to jeopardize the mission.
Nehammer appealed to the population to avoid public places and not use public transport. The event took place in several places at the same time, from six crime scenes It was the talk: next to Seitenstettengasse, Morzinplatz, the meat market, the farmers market, the graben and the pickles.
Vice Chancellor and Chief of the Greens Werner Kogler he spoke of “appalling terror” on Monday night after the attacks in central Vienna. “We all share the concern and grief for the victims and the injured,” Kogler wrote on Twitter. The danger has not yet been avoided.
Parliament session canceled
President of SPÖ Pamela Rendi-Wagner He said at night “deeply shocked, stunned and horrified” by the attack in Vienna. On Twitter, he spoke of a “heinous terrorist attack.” Also president of the FPÖ Norbert hofer He was “horrified”, he spoke on Twitter of a “terrible terrorist attack”. His condolences go out to “all the victims of cowardly terrorists.”
NEOS-Chefin Beate Meinl-Reisinger he was “shocked” by the apparent terrorist act in Vienna. “It is clear that our open social order is strong, it will remain strong and it will be able to defend itself against such attacks,” Meinl-Reisinger wrote on Twitter.
President of the National Council Wolfgang Sobotka In view of the attack in Vienna (ÖVP) canceled the special session of the National Council on the “hackler regulation”, which was scheduled for tomorrow. The basis for this was a corresponding request from the SPÖ and FPÖ, who had requested the plenary extra-tour.
How to proceed will now be discussed in a special chair starting at 9:30 a.m. M. It was still unclear Monday night if the meeting would be held virtually or if they would meet in person.
15 injured, 7 of them seriously
The shooting events started around 8pm, starting from Seitenstettengasse, near Schwedenplatz. There were several perpetrators with long weapons and six crime scenes. There was one death (a passerby) and 15 injuries, seven of whom were seriously injured, including a policeman, also confirmed Christoph Mierau, Spokesperson for the Vienna Health Association. One of the perpetrators was shot dead by the police. Other perpetrators continue to flee.
A demining service was used to verify whether the murdered perpetrator was wearing an explosives belt, the mayor of Vienna reported. Michael ludwig of the crisis team around Nehammer and Kurz at the Home Office. During the night it became clear that the author did not have such a weapon.
Large Scale Operation
In the center of the city, the rescue set up a triage area to classify the injured according to the severity of their injuries and the urgency. The disaster train and numerous emergency services from rescue partner organizations were in action. According to information from the APA, staff at several Vienna hospitals, including UKH Nord, were alerted.
The starting point of the terrorist attack was apparently the Seitenstettengasse, the persecution is still ongoing. It is a large-scale police operation with the participation of all special forces, an operation “like we have never seen before”, as eyewitnesses confirmed.
The starting point is the Jewish quarter
Shortly before the shutdown began, downtown Vienna was very busy. Videos and photos quickly circulated online, but the police called on the population not to share these documents but to forward them to the executive. One of these videos showed shots, apparently random, in bars.
The synagogue is also located on Seitenstettengasse, but it was already closed at the time of the attack, as was the adjoining restaurant. Oskar GermanThe president of Israelitische Kultusgemeinde, stated in an initial reaction that he could not confirm that the synagogue was obviously the target of the attack.
Nehammer also appealed to everyone to only consider the reports confirmed by the Interior Ministry as true. There was even talk in the middle of a hostage-taking, which turned out to be a rumor.
Confusing situation
The situation was initially confusing. After the attack, the police ordered all passersby to evacuate the first district of Vienna. “Get out of the first district!” Heavily armed police officers in protective clothing yelled at cyclists, walkers and passersby.
The vehicles were also instructed to turn around. “There is a terrorist attack,” was general information. An eerie silence returned relatively quickly, the Federal Chancellery and the Federal Presidential Chancellery were evicted, there were no policemen without protective equipment, there were no people on the street. The inner district was largely cordoned off.
A similar image appeared on Mariahilfer Strasse. What happened in a bar near the Mariahilfer church was unclear. The police again blocked a large area of the street, passersby were fired, the police helicopter circled. “Get off the street, take cover in the buildings!” Police asked passersby over the loudspeaker. The mood was tense, people were yelling at each other to get off the street.
The “insanity” fears
A 53-year-old citizen of Lower Austria who had lunch at a local restaurant on Monday evening was also caught by gunfire during the terrorist attack in central Vienna. “We heard the shots, and then it was said, lights off, doors closed,” the 53-year-old reported in an interview with the APA. Then all the guests lay down on the floor. “The fears among the guests are crazy.” No one was injured in the restaurant.
