#OrlandoShooting Hundreds turn out for vigil in Newcastle
"They can bully us, they can come into our space and do their worst but they will NOT silence us.”
Hundreds of people attended a vigil in Newcastle last night to remember victims of the Orlando shooting.
Candles, flowers and flags were left in Times Square paying tribute to 49 people who were killed when a gunman opened fire in a gay nightclub on Sunday.
Speeches were made by some members of the LGBT community and a two minutes’ silence was held too.
Joni Valadares, a model from Low Fell, helped organise it:
“It’s unbelievable how many people have turned out. I think everyone hit the nail on the head. I’m very proud of everyone.”
Stuart Hatton from South Shields is Mr Gay World. He said:
“Mr skin is tingling; my heart is pounding; my knees are shaking. I feel so proud to be a gay man in the United Kingdom right now. I feel so proud to stand together with everyone in Newcastle in support for Orlando. We are Orlando here in Newcastle”
Dan Cunningham, known to many as Miss Rory from Boulevard Show Bar, said:
“It’s touched us because we became Orlando. IT could have been here, it could have been in Newcastle, it could have been in powerhouse. It’s too close to home to be ignored and it certainly hasn’t been ignored now.”
Meanwhile,* *survivors of the shooting have described how they pretended to be dead in the hope the gunman would spare them.
Omar Mateen - who killed 49 people - is reported to have been seen at the gay bar several times before the massacre and there are also claims he'd been using gay dating apps.
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