On Monday, November 9, a March of Silence began in Krakow, Poland, in memory of the victims of the mass shooting that took place on November 7 on the city's main square. Polish President Karol Nawrocki and Prime Minister Donald Tusk are participating in the memorial procession.
This was reported by Onet. The event and the participation of the country's top leadership were also confirmed by Krakow authorities.
The procession began at 20:00 local time at the corner of the Market Square and Slavkovska Street — in the area where the armed attack took place on Saturday.
Participants gathered to honor the memory of the deceased and express solidarity with the victims and their families. Even before the march began, residents brought flowers and lit candles to the square. Some participants prayed in memory of the victims.
The route of the procession passes through the historic center of Krakow. Participants are heading to St. Mary's Basilica, after which they should end the event at the Town Hall Tower.
The initiator of the March of Silence was Krakow Mayor Lukasz Gibala. He invited the head of state and the head of government to take part, stressing the need to demonstrate social unity after the tragedy.
"In this difficult time, let us show solidarity and that Krakow will always be a proud city, but also hospitable and open", — said the mayor.
Prime Minister Donald Tusk also called on citizens to join the event. In an address published on social media, he suggested that residents come together in memory of the victims.
As RMF24 reports, city residents and representatives of local authorities joined the procession. Police presence has been increased on the Market Square.
Recall that on November 7, a mass shooting occurred in central Krakow, which resulted in the deaths of six people, and 16 more were injured. Among the injured were two police officers who participated in the apprehension of the attacker.
According to Polish law enforcement agencies, the armed attack was carried out by a 24-year-old man who opened fire on people in the Market Square. During the arrest he was wounded and taken to hospital.
On the morning of November 9, it became known that the suspect died in a medical facility. Despite his death, the investigation is ongoing. Investigators are establishing the motives of the crime and checking the circumstances of the preparation of the attack.
City mourning has been declared in Krakow, which will last until November 11 inclusive. Authorities have cancelled a number of mass events scheduled for the coming days.
