Bomb alert in Vienna

Mysterious ticking: St. Charles Church was evacuated

(Bild: Jöchl Martin)

Great excitement in Vienna on Saturday: St. Charles Church had to be evacuated during a mass - after a worshipper in the nave became aware of a mysterious ticking noise in a rucksack ...

According to witnesses, the noise had suddenly come from a bag next to the offertory box in the morning. A witness had the presence of mind to reach into the bag and switch off the alarm clock inside - probably so as not to interfere with the mass.

A witness became aware of the ticking in the bag.(Bild: zVg)

(Bild: zVg)

Cobra had to be deployed immediately
But the shock was not over yet: A short time later, a flashing bag (see picture below) was discovered hidden behind a pillar - red alert! The Cobra moved out.

(Bild: zVg)

Officials from the Directorate of State Security and Intelligence (DSN) assume that the action was intended to cause panic. The rector of St. Charles Church, Marek Pucalik, and Johannes Pasquali from the Association of Friends of St. Charles Church in Vienna are also shocked: "This is a violent attack on the free exercise of religion as a fundamental and human right. Obviously the intention was to provoke a mass panic during the mass and massively disrupt the subsequent March for Life. We are not afraid and will not be intimidated by violence!"

During the "Mass for Unborn Life" 
The timing of the action was probably no coincidence: the "Mass for Unborn Life" took place in St. Charles Church at at 11 a.m. - celebrated by the former Bishop of St. Pölten, Klaus Küng. Just a few hours later, from 1.30 pm, the controversial "March for Life" started on Karlsplatz, where thousands of participants demonstrate against abortion every year.

The obvious intention was to provoke a mass panic during the fair and massively disrupt the subsequent March for Life.

Marek Pucalik und Johannes Pasquali

This year, the march is marked by the current debate about a possible further liberalization of abortion in Austria. In the run-up to the event, there were already calls online at to disrupt the event - for example from a group called "Marsch Fürn Arsch Wien (MfA)", which caused a stir with an Instagram post showing the Karlskirche church in flames.

Action was probably intended to spread mass panic
It is still unclear who planted the two bags. No explosives were found - the devices were probably harmless, but deliberately placed to spread mass panic, according to investigators.

"New, frightening level of escalation"
Jan Ledóchowski, chairman of the report office christenschutz.at, explains: "We strongly condemn this attempt to intimidate innocent people and disrupt the right to freedom of assembly. The discovery of this fake bomb marks a new, frightening escalation of hostility towards Christians. I'm really worried about what might happen next." ÖVP politician Caroline Hungerländer also spoke out after the terrifying operation: "As a participant in the 'March for Life', I am shocked by this unprecedented escalation. Here, people were to be silenced with threats of violence. I would like to thank the police for their efforts and call on the city government to stop ignoring hostility towards Christians."