About 300 people stood in silence at a candlelight vigil in the Octagon last night in a show of support for the victims of the Orlando massacre.

On Sunday, 49 people were killed when a gunman opened fire inside a gay nightclub in the Florida city, the deadliest mass shooting in modern United States history.

Students spoke at last night's Otago University Students' Association-organised vigil.

Cassie Withey-Rila, from Texas, talked of being a United States citizen and choosing to study in New Zealand because of its cultural acceptance of gay people and its strict gun control laws.

The public health student could not comprehend the "atrocity'' of the shooting.

"I still don't understand. I may never be able to ... There is no black and white and there is no simple binaries of good and evil.''

Student Noelani Grandona said New Zealand's strict gun control laws were a reason she moved to Dunedin from the US.

The laws created "a safer space for me'' to be gay.

Those at the vigil last night were "standing proud for the people who have fallen'' and were trying to build a better world.

Student Brighid Morgan said the shooting had the gay community feeling "angry, afraid, hurt, sad and tired''.

The massacre was a reminder of the people who want to hurt gay people.

"It's a reminder the fight isn't over ... We will be loud, we will be open, we will be visible and we will be proud and we will reclaim our safe spaces.

"We will dance together and we will be strong.''

shawn.mcavinue@odt.co.nz