Orlando Shooting Vigil In Old Compton Street Sees Thousands Of Londoners Fall Silent To Remember Victims

'You could hear a pin drop.'

Londoners gathered in their thousands in the heart of the capital’s gay village to stand in solidarity with those who lost their lives in the Orlando shootings.

Eyewitnesses said that “you could hear a pin drop” as thousands gathered in Old Compton Street in Soho to hold a vigil for the 49 people killed in the attack in the early hours of Sunday morning.

Rainbow flags were waved and strangers held hands in the street as two minutes of silence were held.

Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, education minister Nicky Morgan, London mayor Sadiq Khan, Scottish Conservative leader Ruth Davidson and Britain's youngest MP, Mhairi Black, were among a number of high-profile figures attending the event.

Following the silence, balloons were released to cheers and applause.

The London Gay Men's Chorus also sang a spine-tingling rendition of Bridge Over Troubled Water, with many around joining in.

Jack Taylor via Getty Images
Jack Taylor via Getty Images
Jack Taylor via Getty Images
Jack Taylor via Getty Images
Jack Taylor via Getty Images
Jack Taylor via Getty Images
Jack Taylor via Getty Images
Jack Taylor via Getty Images
JUSTIN TALLIS via Getty Images
Jack Taylor via Getty Images
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Chip Somodevilla via Getty Images
Chip Somodevilla via Getty Images
JUSTIN TALLIS via Getty Images
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Jack Taylor via Getty Images
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JUSTIN TALLIS via Getty Images

More than 50 people were injured and 49 died after Omar Mateen opened fire at the Pulse nightclub in Florida the early hours of Sunday morning.

Mateen, who was killed in a shootout with police, was armed with an AR-15 assault type rifle, a handgun and an explosive device.

It is the deadliest mass shooting in modern US history.

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