Prague in mourning after deadly mass shooting – but survivor says city ‘will stand strong’
There is snow billowing around the heart of Prague and the skies are dark and threatening. But a small crowd of people are simply standing, and staring.
They are looking at the flickering candles and flowers that have been left in front of the Charles University building, a memorial to those who came here and were killed in the most brutal way.
From through the clouds of snow, Sergei Medvedev crosses the road, a thick grey woolen hat on his head and a bunch of flowers in his hand.
He is here to pay his own respects, but Sergei is not simply sympathetic to the suffering of others. He was there. Right there.
Read more on this story:
Prague mass shooting: What do we know so far?
Bodycam footage shows police storming university building
Sergei is a professor at the university, as well as a radio broadcaster. He is fluent and thoughtful; it’s not hard to see why he has prospered as an academic.
On Thursday, he was giving a lecture on the building’s third floor (“that corner over there,” he says, pointing) when he heard discordant noises.
He passed it off as a passing distraction. But then came the police sirens, and the creeping sense of danger.
Sergei Medvedev, a professor at the Charles University, as well as a radio broadcaster
Staff and students barricaded themselves into a lecture theatre with chairs and tables during the shooting
“There was shouting in the corridor, sirens everywhere, and we realised that something was wrong. We looked out and the whole square had been cleared; there were police all over the place.
“Then there were shots and we understood it was some kind of a terrorist act. So we blocked ourselves inside the auditorium; we took all the desks and chairs towards the doors to lock the doors.
“We turned out the lights and tried to stay away from the doors.
“At one point the special forces broke in, checked the room, then left. Then there was further shouting and shooting.
“Then an hour later the special forces came in for a second time, lay us on the floor and. Searched us rather gently.
“They took us out of the building walking down the stairs. There was blood all over the place – blood on the stairs, blood on the steps.”
It is a terrifying picture that he paints, yet here he looks composed.
People also climbed out on to a ledge to hide from the shooter
“Everyone stayed calm. Everyone behaved bravely,” he says, thoughtfully.
“There were a couple of dozen students in that room and I knew that I was responsible for them. When we ran, when we saw the blood – you don’t reflect on it then.
“You have your hands on your head and you are running for safety. It’s like seeing a movie of yourself. You just keep taking the next step. You keep moving.”
He is convinced that Prague will come together in the wake of this awful tragedy, but admits it’s a shock for those who have taken for granted this city’s reputation for being safe and peaceful.
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Video of police hunting Prague killer
“We will stand strong,” he insists. And then he is gone, to lay his flowers, look into the flames of candles, and remember those who have died or been injured.
These impromptu memorials have sprung up around the city.
People leave matches or lighters behind, as well as extra candles, for those who came to admire, but then decide they want to be involved.
And as we stand and watch, you can’t help but be struck by the number of people sobbing and hugging. The grief is thick in the air, more desperate because it was so surprising.
Giacomo, 20, is here with his friend Max, 16. Both are 20 years old, shaking their heads in disbelief.
People light candles on Jan Palach Square. Pic: Roman Vondrous (CTK via AP Images)
Pic: Roman Vondrous (CTK via AP Images)
“The guy was there,” says Max, gesturing towards the balcony where David Kozak stood and fired out into the street.
“He was shooting – I heard shots with the sniper [rifle] and it was crazy…I’ve never heard someone shooting before.”
Giacomo agrees: “We are very sad that this happened – that so many young people died, especially at Christmas.
“The idea that someone goes to the school and doesn’t come back – it’s horrible.”
And it is a dreadful thought, played out in the most horrible way.
The country feels broken.
World
Dublin protests: Prams filled with fireworks as teens – and children as young as seven – clash with police
At least 23 people have been arrested during a second night of violent disorder near an asylum hotel in Dublin.
Two police officers were taken to hospital with injuries sustained during clashes with protesters – including one who was struck on the head by a bottle.
A Sky News crew was caught in the confusion as police charged at crowds, who were throwing fireworks, stones and other debris.
Pic: PA
It is the third night of demonstrations at the Citywest Hotel following an alleged sexual assault in the early hours of Monday morning.
A demonstration in the wake of the incident, which allegedly involved a 10-year-old girl, turned violent on Tuesday night. A police officer was injured and six arrests were made.
A 26-year-old man, who cannot be named due to rules that apply to all sexual assault cases in the Republic of Ireland, appeared in court on Tuesday charged over the alleged attack.
Gardai officers block protesters near the Citywest Hotel in Dublin. Pic: PA
Police had earlier pledged a “robust response” if the violence continued.
Between 7pm and 8pm, hundreds of protesters faced off with around 40 uniformed officers.
The uniformed officers were replaced with the Public Order Unit, who were carrying plastic shields and additional body protection.
A police van was set on fire on Tuesday night.
Protesters detained after stand-off
Hundreds of protesters had been facing off against the public order unit of the Irish police force along Citywest Drive.
While large parts of the crowd dispersed throughout the night, an additional public order unit was deployed to tackle those remaining at the protest shortly after 10pm.
A number of protesters have been detained after fireworks and rocks were thrown at police. Pic: PA
Several of those caught between the two units were tackled and detained as they tried to flee.
Justice minister Jim O’Callaghan said “many have been arrested” and “more will follow” – and went on to praise officers who had responded professionally to “thuggish violence” in the area.
Mr O’Callaghan vowed that those arrested would be “charged, named and dealt with relentlessly” by the criminal justice system.
World
Donald Trump imposes sanctions against Russia’s two biggest oil companies as frustration grows with Vladimir Putin over the Ukraine war
Donald Trump has imposed sanctions on Russia’s two largest oil companies – and spoke of his frustration with Vladimir Putin.
In a major policy shift, new restrictions have been unveiled against Rosneft and Lukoil – as well as dozens of subsidiaries – due to “Russia’s lack of serious commitment to a peace process to end the war in Ukraine”.
“Now is the time to stop the killing and for an immediate ceasefire,” Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said in a statement.
“Given President Putin’s refusal to end this senseless war, Treasury is sanctioning Russia’s two largest oil companies that fund the Kremlin’s war machine. We encourage our allies to join us in, and adhere to, these sanctions.”
The move marked a significant change for the Trump administration, which has veered between pressuring Moscow and taking a more conciliatory approach aimed at securing peace in Ukraine.
US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent speaks to reporters at the White House. Pic: Reuters
Trump frustrated with Putin
The US president has resisted pressure to impose energy sanctions on Russia, hoping that Putin would agree to end the fighting. But with no end in sight, he said he felt it was time.
Mr Trump explained he has a “very good relationship” with his Russian counterpart, but felt he had to cancel their planned meeting as “it didn’t feel right to me”.
In a sign of growing frustration, he told reporters: “It didn’t feel like we were going to get to the place we have to get. So I cancelled it. But we’ll do it in the future.
“I have good conversations. And then, they don’t go anywhere. They just don’t go anywhere.”
He also hinted that the sanctions could be lifted if the Russian president was prepared to cooperate in peace talks.
“We hope that they [the sanctions] won’t be on for long,” he said in the Oval Office. “We hope that the war will be settled.”
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Putin-Trump talks: The view from Moscow
Trump wants Xi to help with Ukraine
Ahead of a meeting next week with Chinese President Xi Jinping in South Korea, Mr Trump said he would like Beijing to help put pressure on Moscow to halt the fighting.
“I think he [Xi] can have a big influence on Putin. I think he can have a big influence … he’s a respected man. He’s a very strong leader of a very big country. And we will certainly be talking about Russia-Ukraine,” he said.
Xi and Putin have formed a strategic alliance between their countries.
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Why Tomahawks are off the table
Ukraine denied Tomahawk missiles
However, Mr Trump warned he is not prepared to provide Ukraine with long-range Tomahawk missiles, which Kyiv has requested.
He explained it would take the Ukrainians up to a year to learn how to use the “highly complex” weapons.
“The only way a Tomahawk is going to be shot … is if we shot it. And we’re not going to do that.
“It takes a year of intense training to learn how to use it, and we know how to use it, and we’re not going to be teaching other people.”
Storm Shadow cruise missiles made in the UK and donated to Ukraine have once again been used to strike targets inside Russia.
The long-range weapons – which cost roughly £2m each – have been used to devastating effect in the Black Sea, sinking or damaging several Russian ships, and now against a chemical plant.
Last year, Ukraine’s allies lifted restrictions on Storm Shadows and other long-range missiles, meaning Kyiv’s military can use them against targets across the border.
Follow latest: Storm Shadow missiles used in ‘massive’ attack on Russia
A Storm Shadow missile system. Pic: Gary Dawson/Shutterstock
What are Storm Shadow missiles?
Storm Shadows are cruise missiles developed by the UK and France in the 1990s.
Launched from aircraft, they have a range more than 155 miles, manufacturer MBDA says, and can travel at speeds exceeding 600mph.
The missiles can be used with high precision for deep strikes while evading detection, the manufacturer says.
They have been used by the RAF and French air force and in the Gulf, Iraq and Libya, and more recently have been used by Ukrainian forces.
What sets them apart from some other projectiles is they use terrain mapping to navigate to their target, rather than relying just on GPS, military analyst Sean Bell says.
A Tornado GR4 with Storm Shadow cruise missiles. Pic: Crown copyright
How have they been used in Ukraine?
Back in May 2023, the UK government announced it would provide Ukraine with Storm Shadow missiles – the first country to do so.
Since then they have been used by Kyiv’s defenders to strike Russian targets inside Ukraine and also inside Russia.
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Putin-Trump meeting in doubt
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While operational details of their use do not always emerge, it has been reported Storm Shadows have been used against targets including military headquarters and ships.
Storm Shadows can likely be operated entirely from within Ukraine, though probably with the assistance of intelligence gathered by Western surveillance planes over international waters.
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