Austrian attack

[hollodero]

Thanks guys. Yeah everyone I know is fine. As for everyone else, there are four dead and 22 wounded, some of them severely.

Didn't happen in my immediate neighbourhood, but sure close enough. Kinda spooky, must have walked those streets a hundred times.

Regarding the immediate timing, yesterday was the last evening before a partial lockdown due to sharply rising Corona cases. So it was the last day with lots of people outside. Some connected the timing to the US elections, but I think that is uncalled for.

Whole city was more or less locked down during the night. Lots of sirens, some screaming. As far as I can tell, not so much deep shock though. Most people didn't think about terror, but to many it was clear that Vienna, being a melting pot and a town of much international politics, is a potential target. One thing about Viennese people, they are resilient. We will not be afraid or give into the fear.

Thanks also to Trump and Biden for finding kind words for our country and our people in these times.

There's still a chance that there are attackers on the loose, but it probably was just one 20-year-old guy that got shot by police. While carrying a rifle, a gun, a machete, a fake explosive belt, and loads of ammunition. He was an Austrian citizen with dual citizenship (other was Macedonian). Already was known for trying to join ISIS and had made it to Syria back then already. Was released from jail and believed to have "re-integrated into society", which, well, was the BS it appears to be.

Sure this will cause a sharp shift to the right in my country, and though I will certainly not turn right wing that assessment doesn't exclude me. Ideas like taking the guns from police and rehabilitate everyone, being all welcoming to all kinds of potential extremists and other left's left ideas prove to be naive rubbish in these times.
What I'm glad about in many ways, a person with migration background kinda heroically saved a wounded policeman. We need to be tough, tougher on all forms of extremism that often gets tolerated, but we don't need to deploy any kind of collective guilt towards migrants or muslims. That was a good reminder of that.

Thanks to everyone posting again for your kindness.