Horse-drawn carriage operators resume work on Kraków's Main Square after tragedy
Horse-drawn carriage operators returned to Kraków's Main Square on Saturday, one day after the shooting of 7 November that killed six people and wounded fifteen. The drivers declare their determination not to be intimidated.
Return to the Square after the shooting
Horse-drawn carriage operators returned on Saturday to Kraków's Main Square following the tragedy of 7 November, when a 24-year-old man drove a car onto the plaza and opened fire on pedestrians. According to Eryk Nęcek from the Kraków Horse-drawn Carriage Operators Association, the decision to resume operations is accompanied by difficult emotions, but also hope for a return to normality.
Nęcek emphasised that the return does not mean forgetting the worst events. "The fact that we are returning does not mean that we have forgotten about the tragedy. We believe that we can recover from the worst event," said the driver at the Main Square. In his view, the presence of the carriages is meant to show residents that "normality is returning" and to reassure people who have been avoiding the city centre following the attack.
The representative of the association acknowledged that "the return is accompanied by fear, pain and anger, but also by faith that the Square will be safe again". "We will not be terrorised by one man who intended to remove life from this place," said the horse-drawn carriage operator.
As a result of the attack, four carriage drivers were wounded. One has already left hospital; three others—with serious injuries—still require hospitalisation. According to Nęcek, the recovery of the injured from physical and psychological trauma will take from several months to even years. A collection drive is underway to raise funds for treatment, rehabilitation and support for the families of the wounded.
The animals suffered only superficial injuries—their wounds concern only the skin, with organs and muscles remaining unharmed. They remain under veterinary care.
The attack took place on 7 November. The perpetrator also staged a massacre at his own home in Ostrowiec Świętokrzyski, where police officers discovered the bodies of his parents and sister with gunshot wounds. The man died in hospital four days after the attack. In total, six people died in the attack and fifteen were wounded, including two police officers. Seven injured people are being treated in Kraków hospitals, their condition assessed as stable.
According to wiadomosci.wp.pl, the investigation is being conducted by the provincial branch of the National Prosecutor's Office in Małopolska.
Source: Google News PL