London’s LGBT community observes minute’s silence in Soho, Eiffel Tower to be lit up in rainbow colours and vigils held across US

This article is more than 4 years old

This article is more than 4 years old

Vigils have been held around the world in solidarity with the victims of the Orlando nightclub shooting.

In London, venues along Old Compton Street, the heart of the capital’s gay community, stopped serving at 7pm on Monday and people were invited into the street. Heads were bowed for a minute before defiant cheers and applause greeted the release of dozens of balloons, one for each person killed in Orlando, into the skies above Soho.

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For many, the impact of the massacre in Florida was all the more poignant in an area that was the scene 17 years ago of the worst homophobic attack in British history, when a nail bomb blast at the Admiral Duncan pub killed three people and wounded 70.

“What happened in Florida does bring back the memories,” said Ian Davis under the rainbow flags flying above the crowds.

Did the community in Soho feel safe these days? “I think there is a lot of hatred, but there is also a lot more acceptance than there was,” he replied. “On the opposite side there are obviously a few people who are full of a lot of hatred.”

Jake Johnstone, who was was wearing the pink triangle of the 1980s Act Up movement, said: “Obviously we had the Paris attacks and everyone was shocked by it, but because Orlando was an attack on the LGBT community it feels very personal and a lot of people feel deeply affected by it.

“The reason we’re here is to show solidarity with people in Florida. We’re also aware that there are people out there who have been engaging in Islamophobia. A lot of comments have been made that the blame for this is with a religion rather than homophobia and hatred.”

Facebook Twitter Pinterest People gather in Old Compton Street in the Soho district of London for a vigil in commemoration and solidarity with the victims of the Orlando massacre. Photograph: Justin Tallis/AFP/Getty Images

The author JK Rowling was among those who paid tribute following the attack in Orlando, after it emerged that one of the victims worked on the Harry Potter ride at Universal Studios. “I can’t stop crying,” Rowling wrote.

David Cameron sent a message of condolence, and Buckingham Palace said the Queen had sent a message to Barack Obama.

In France, the Eiffel Tower was to be lit up in the rainbow colours of the LGBT community. The Paris mayor, Anne Hidalgo, expressed her “compassion, solidarity and affection” for the American people after the attack and said city hall would raise the rainbow flag and the stars and stripes.

Paris councillors observed a minute’s silence for the victims of the attack, in which 49 people were killed and 53 injured. In November last year, cities across the world held vigils for the 130 people who died in attacks in the French capital, often illuminating buildings in the colours of the French national flag.

The French football team, who are among the 24 competing at Euro 2016 in France, tweeted a message of support along with a picture of a ribbon combining the colours of the US and rainbow flags.

Equipe de France (@equipedefrance) Le football est parfois peu de choses. Pensées pour #Orlando Together we stand. #USA pic.twitter.com/3zu74faqAq

“Sometimes football counts for little. Thoughts for Orlando,” the message said in French, adding in English, “Together we stand.”

As vigils for the victims were held around the world, social media users rallied online with the hashtag #GaysBreaktheInternet, which began trending worldwide on Twitter along with #PrayforOrlando.

Emeli Avaloz (@FrickenEmeliCx) #GaysBreakTheInternet I won't live in fear bc of some stupid homophobic people.I'm proud of who I am &always will be pic.twitter.com/wTeRFxgTON

Vigils were held in many US states on Sunday night, including California, Illinois and Texas. In New York, the lights of the Empire State Building were turned off in sympathy. “We will remain dark tonight,” read a tweet from the landmark’s account.

Empire State Bldg (@EmpireStateBldg) In sympathy for the victims of last night’s attack in Orlando, we will remain dark tonight. Photo: @isardasorensen pic.twitter.com/FCmp4JMnph

madison (@tacoxqueen) One World Trade Center. Once the site of a mass casualty, paying tribute to a wonderful community ❤️💛💚💙💜 #LoveWins pic.twitter.com/RP4NzimKRl

A vigil was held outside the city’s Stonewall Inn, the historic gay bar that has been at the centre of the fight for LGBT rights.

The comedian James Corden opened the 2016 Tony awards in New York on Sunday night with a tribute to the victims. “All around the world people are trying to come to terms with the horrific events that took place in Orlando this morning,” he said. “On behalf of the whole theatre community and every person in this room, our hearts go out to all of those affected by this atrocity. All we can say is you are not on your own right now. Your tragedy is our tragedy.

“Theatre is a place where every race, creed, sexuality and gender is equal, is embraced and is loved. Hate will never win. Together we have to make sure of that.”

In Canada, vigils were held in Ottawa and Vancouver, and in Toronto up to 5,000 people including the mayor, John Tory, attended a gathering. Teachers in Ontario were encouraged to discuss the incident in classrooms on Monday.

Pride Toronto described the shooting as horrific. “This tragedy is a painful reminder that our community still faces hate and discrimination,” it said. “Together we mourn the loss of life, and our hearts and thoughts go to the friends and families of those involved. As a community, we will together stand united during this painful and difficult time.”

John Tory (@JohnTory) Toronto stands with #Orlando. pic.twitter.com/DCerbkE45Z

Andrew Mather (@Mather_Photo) Tragedy in Orlando, @MayorSlyJames reports that the Bond Bridge will remain lit up rainbow colored in #solidarity pic.twitter.com/MsHVg4ojEL

Germany’s chancellor, Angela Merkel, said it was important to continue with “our open, tolerant life” following the attacks.

Israel’s president, Reuven Rivlin, said in a letter to Obama that the country stood “shoulder to shoulder with our American brothers and sisters”. Tel Aviv’s city hall was lit up with the US flag and the rainbow flag, the city’s mayor tweeted.

Mayor of Tel Aviv (@MayorOfTelAviv) In solidarity with #Orlando #TelAviv City Hall is lit up with the #USA flag and the flag of the #LGBTQ community pic.twitter.com/ULKR0BeR7N

The Palestinian prime minister, Rami Hamdallah, said the shooting was a “senseless act of terror and hate” and that “Palestinians stand with the American people in this difficult time”. The statement made no direct reference to the LGBT community.

Afghanistan’s chief executive, Abdullah Abdullah, said to the cabinet as he opened the weekly meeting live on television on Monday morning that the Orlando attack “tells us that terrorism knows no religion, boundary and geography. Terrorism must be eliminated.” He offered his condolences to the people and government of the US.

Australia’s prime minister, Malcolm Turnbull, said the shooting was “an attack on all of us on all our freedoms, the freedom to gather together, to celebrate, to share time with friends”. He said he had spoken to the US ambassador to Australia, John Berry, “and formally conveyed to him Australians’ sympathy, condolences and resolute solidarity in the face of this shocking act of hate and terror”.



The South Australia premier, Jay Weatherill, said the Adelaide Oval cricket ground would be illuminated in rainbow colours, tweeting “love wins”. Other landmarks in Australia to be lit up in the rainbow flag include the Melbourne Arts Centre, the National Gallery of Victoria and the Brisbane Story Bridge. A rainbow flag flew at half-mast above Sydney town hall, which was lit up in pink.

Clover Moore (@CloverMoore) Here's our pink Sydney Town Hall as it gets darker #Orlando pic.twitter.com/7kKOueTQ0E

In Kuwait, where 27 people were killed by an Islamic State suicide bomber last year, the foreign ministry said the government strongly condemned the “terrorist attack” in Orlando, adding that the escalation of such assaults required a doubling down of efforts on the part of the international community to eliminate “this disgusting phenomenon”.

Egypt’s foreign ministry condemned the Orlando attack “in the strongest possible terms”, and offered condolences to the US government and people. “Egypt stands next to the American people in these difficult times, offering sincere condolences to the families of the victims and wishing the injured a speedy recovery,” it said.



Qatar’s foreign ministry strongly condemned the shooting and called for concerted international efforts to “face criminal acts that target civilians”.

China’s official Xinhua news agency issued a statement saying President Xi Jinping had called Obama to express his condolences.

Japan’s prime minister, Shinzo Abe, told reporters in Oita on Monday that “Japan stands together with the people of the United States” and that “this despicable act of terror cannot be tolerated”.

In Singapore, where a same-sex kiss was recently removed from a production of the musical Les Misérables, the law minister, K Shanmugam, said on Facebook: “Another senseless shooting … It just goes on and on. The madness is not going to stop.”



The prime minister of Malaysia, Najib Razak, said he was horrified and added that “Islam abhors killing of innocent people”.