Vienna, September 1 (RHC)-- Tens of thousands of protesters have taken part in a massive rally in Austria’s capital Vienna against the abuse of asylum seekers and the European Union's failure in tackling the persisting refugee crisis. 

Monday's protest march, which began at the city’s Westbahnhof train station, came amid surging anger in Europe following the discovery of the bodies of 71 refugees in an abandoned truck in Austria last week. 

Carrying large banners reading "Refugees welcome" and "I don't want Europe to be a mass grave," protesters representing all age groups then marched down a major shopping thoroughfare, AFP reported.  This was while a large part of the capital city had been cordoned off by police forces in anticipation of the protest rally. 

According to the report, the protest participants, many dressed in white, then converged in front of the parliament building, where they lit a sea of candles. 

Meanwhile, a service was held for the victims at a local cathedral, where the archbishop of Vienna, Cardinal Christoph Schoenborn, addressed the congregation, which included senior government authorities, saying: "We've had enough -- enough of the deaths, the suffering and the persecution."