Boos against Putin and a lot of “Amore” for Ukraine

A loud and atmospheric peace signal was broadcast on Saturday in the Ernst Happel Stadium – with Wanda’s performance as the highlight. More than 810,000 euros came together through ticket sales alone.

“Can we please boo this completely senseless war together?” Marco Wanda called out to the crowd at the climax of the benefit concert “We stand with Ukraine”, who of course readily followed his suggestion. Indulging in loud (possibly a bit beer-happy) collective concert gestures and taking a stand once morest the war in the European neighborhood: the around 40,000 people in the Ernst Happel Stadium gratefully accepted the opportunity to do both of these things at the same time on Saturday . The most recent tragedies are so incomprehensible, it was also so long ago that such a festival had taken place due to Covid: The devotion in the audience was correspondingly great – and the blue and yellow FFP2 masks that were distributed at the entrance were mainly dangling the sleeves of the exuberantly celebrating visitors.

There have been boos before when Alexander Van der Bellen dropped Putin’s name in his speech. Measured by the cheers of the audience, the Austrian Federal President proved to be by far the biggest Austrian pop star to take the stage that evening. He praised the courageous people who stood up to the aggressor and pointed out the suffering of the refugees: “Austria will help these people in need”. His message was optimistic: “Our common will to live in peace and freedom is stronger than any aggression. Peace will prevail, democracy will prevail, freedom will prevail.”