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Orlando Pulse Nightclub Shooting Sees LGBT Communities Pay Tribute Around The World

"We refuse to live in fear"

LGBT communities around the world have been holding vigils in response to the biggest gun massacre in US history, which occurred inside an Orlando gay nightclub.

From London to Tel Aviv, the LGBT community has responded with poignant resilience.

Candlelit vigils have been held and landmarks have been lit up with the colours of the pride rainbow flag.

Honours began in Florida and continued at LA Pride, where thousands turned out to show their support.

Sunday's attack targeted the Pulse bar in the sunshine state, where a lone gunman killed 50 people.

Orlando:

Emotional scenes were captured on video footage in the state of the attack, as the Orlando Gay Chorus sang a poignant rendition of 'True Colours' at a vigil.

Orlando Gay Chorus sings "True Colors" at the Joy MCC vigil. Congregation members singing along through tears. pic.twitter.com/tNkAu7stiG

β€” Hayley Tsukayama (@htsuka) June 12, 2016

WATCH: Incredibly powerful! DC Gay Men's Chorus salute victims of #Orlando in front of WH. #Proud #LoveWins #LGBT https://t.co/I6mQs8JH7q

β€” Jon Williams (@WilliamsJon) June 13, 2016

UK:

A small gathering was held in Trafalgar Square, London on Sunday evening.

We are at the #Pulse Vigil in London to show solidarity with LGBT folk and their allies in Orlando, and everywhere pic.twitter.com/GJ8XhVrQsI

β€” Stonewall (@stonewalluk) June 12, 2016

Tributes will continue across the UK on Monday:

Vigils for #Orlando tonight in Leicester https://t.co/kKhz1yw89j and Nottingham https://t.co/qt4kOLvnun #LoveWins pic.twitter.com/HGDESh5kWj

β€” LGBT Labour (@LGBTLabour) June 13, 2016

While on Monday evening, the streets of Soho will come to a standstill as bars close to pay their respects to the victims.

London's LGBT community to stand hand in hand as a tribute to #Orlando Pulse victims https://t.co/wCOta2mo2O pic.twitter.com/WWMWPMYG70

β€” Eve Hartley (@eve_hartley) June 12, 2016

Los Angeles:

The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Office announced it was taking extra precautions at the LA Pride Parade and Festival, with "hundreds of uniformed deputies" on duty.

Despite heavy police presence thousands turned out in defiance against the Pulse nightclub attacks.

We march on, in loving memories of those who cannot@BuzzFeedVideo @BuzzFeed #LAPRIDE #PrayForOrlando pic.twitter.com/XnTTBJWYKS

β€” Eugene Lee Yang (@EugeneLeeYang) June 12, 2016

Israel:

Tel Aviv's city hall was lit up with the US flag and rainbow flag on Sunday evening.

A beautiful tribute from city hall in Tel Aviv, Israel tonight. pic.twitter.com/QU7QzYT1S6

β€” RyansAverageLife (@RyanAbe) June 13, 2016

New York:

The Empire State building and World Trade Center were lit up in a rainbow formation, while mourners gathered outside the Stonewall Inn on Sunday evening.

At the Stonewall Inn in New York, a day of mourning for the gay community https://t.co/NxoPzufMA2 pic.twitter.com/TNYYOYsVaG

β€” The New York Times (@nytimes) June 13, 2016

One World Trade Center lit up in rainbow colors in a show of solidarity. (Maximusupinnyc/Instagram) #PrayforOrlando pic.twitter.com/jUbZx7BlqJ

β€” Fox5NY (@fox5ny) June 13, 2016

Canada:

This is pride. Toronto stands in solidarity with the LGBTQ community around the world #LoveIsLove pic.twitter.com/Tof8Qqrsdv

β€” John Tory (@JohnTory) June 13, 2016

40,000 people. A moment of silence.

A photo posted by Matt Dusenbury (@mattdusenbury) on

Sydney:

Our hearts break for Orlando - today we are flying the rainbow flag above Sydney Town Hall pic.twitter.com/4r1R6TKaZB

β€” Clover Moore (@CloverMoore) June 13, 2016

The Internet:

Beautiful act of solidarity after such an horrific terror. United we stand #loveislove pic.twitter.com/TUj5FueZNr

β€” Eitan Saban (@EitanSaban) June 13, 2016

Hundreds of thousands also paid their respects on Twitter, with hashtags #LoveISLove and #GaysBreakTheInternet surfacing in the aftermath.

Both trends focused on solidarity within the LGBT community - one person wrote "I won't live in fear".

#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

β€” Emeli Avaloz (@FrickenEmeliCx) June 13, 2016

i'm proud of my sexuality 🌈#GaysBreakTheInternet pic.twitter.com/2SYBGmD5io

β€” β™₯︎ (@laurentlarrie) June 13, 2016

no shame in my game n if you care you a lame #gaysbreaktheinternet 😈 pic.twitter.com/6CVOexsZ0I

β€” Bailey Burk (@baileyburk14) June 13, 2016

Until the Pulse massacre, the most notorious act of violence against a gay bar was the burning of the UpStairs Lounge, a New Orleans gay bar, in 1973.

An arsonist set fire to the bar, killing 32 people in less than 20 minutes.

The perpetrator of the Pulse attacks was identified as Omar Mateen of Port St Lucie, Florida.

He was killed by officers following a three-hour stand off with police.

A total of 53 people were hospitalised following the attack. A surgeon at Orlando Regional Medical Center said the death toll was likely to climb.

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