On a Monday, volunteer students and staff from the Faculty of Philosophy began the task of cleaning up the candles, flowers, and other items left on the staircase leading to the faculty building after the tragic shooting on December 21. During the incident, a student killed 14 people at the faculty. The candles collected are intended to serve as a permanent memorial for the victims of this unfortunate incident.
At the beginning of the year, volunteers had already collected candles that people had brought in response to the shooting, a poignant gesture to remember the victims. These candles were placed in front of the Karolinum building, the seat of Charles University.
The exact plan for what will be done with the collected candles is being discussed by working groups composed of representatives from the Faculty of Philosophy and the Academy of Arts, Architecture, and Design (UMPRUM). Like the faculty, UMPRUM is also located at Palach Square.
The faculty building will remain closed for the entire month of January. The teaching for the summer semester is expected to start on February 19.
The tragedy unfolded when a 24-year-old shooter killed 14 people and injured 25, some severely, at the Faculty of Philosophy at Palach Square, and then committed suicide. Later, it was revealed that the killer was also responsible for the death of a man and a two-month-old infant in the Klánovice Forest on December 15. The police found a letter in his home in Hostoun, Kladno region, where he confessed to the crime.