Shock over knife attack: Parents demand stricter security measures!

Shock over knife attack: Parents demand stricter security measures!

In a tragic incident at a school in Croatia, a seven-year-old child was killed in a knife attack, prompting significant calls for improved security measures at schools. The attack took place on Friday at the elementary school in the Precko district of Zagreb, when a 19-year-old man, a former student of the school, murdered the child and also injured several other students and a teacher. Despite intensive attempts at resuscitation by the emergency services, the child died at the scene, as Health Minister Irena Hrstic reported. The attacker then injured himself with a knife and was arrested by the police. He had a history of mental health issues and attempted suicide, which only adds to the tragedy of the incident.

Demands for security measures

The events have sparked a wave of outrage. The parents' council of the affected school spoke to the media and stated that the incident had highlighted serious deficiencies in the existing security system. Parents are now calling for a drastic improvement in safety measures to avoid such tragedies in the future. Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic announced the introduction of locks at school entrances to ensure the safety of students, while teacher Marija Veronkica Cvjetkovic stressed that such measures should have been taken earlier. On Monday, three education sector unions called for a silent march in Zagreb to draw attention to the need for greater security in schools.

In addition, a crisis team with 15 members was set up to help the affected children, parents and teachers deal with the traumatic experience, as reported by the responsible authorities. The broader discussion about safety in schools has become more urgent as a result of this incident volksblatt.at and also achim-shad.de make clear.