Hundreds gather at Vancouver Art Gallery for Orlando victims - Action News
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Hundreds gather at Vancouver Art Gallery for Orlando victims

Hundreds of people gathered at the Vancouver Art Gallery to mourn the victims of a mass shooting in Orlando, Florida at a gay nightclub Sunday morning that left 50 dead and another 53 injured.

'Our Pulse is strong,' 'Vancouver with Orlando' and other signs of solidarity held at candle light vigil

Names of the victims from a mass shooting in Orlando, Florida on June 12, 2016 were read out at Vancouver's Art Gallery where hundreds gathered to reflect on the tragedy. (Anita Bathe/CBC)

Hundreds of people gathered at the Vancouver Art Gallery to reflect and mourn thevictims of amass shooting in Orlando, Florida at a gay nightclub Sunday morningthat left 50 deadand another 53 injured.

"Well we definitely want to stand as a united front. We don't want the tragic events in Florida to silence our voices," said Alan Jernigan, president of the Vancouver Pride Society.

Alan Jernigan, the president of the Vancouver Pride Society says he doesn't want the massacre in Florida to silence the voices of the LGBTQ community. (Don Marce/CBC)

"The events that we've seen are an indication that there is still hate in the world directed towards the LGBTQ2 community and this event has received a lot of attention and rightfully so and I think that we can take this opportunity to acknowledge that there are still a lot of members of our community ... who experience violence on a regular basis," he said.

"Any time a man is afraid to kiss his husband in public because he doesn't know how people will react around him or anytime a woman doesn't want to hold her wife's hand in public because they feel they have to read the room or hide themselves it's a kind of terror and a kind of fear and this has to change," added Jernigan.

Ashley Leslie, left, and her daughter Michala attended the vigil for Orlando in Vancouver to mourn the 50 people killed and 53 injured. They helped hand out candles for the event. (Don Marce/CBC)

Michala Leslie, who is active in the LGBTQ community, brought her mother Ashley to the vigil.

"I'm mourning the loss 50 lives and 53 people being injured and we're here hoping that this will change that all this hate will come out and this hate will turn into love," she said.

Kevin Michael Perry, left, and Toby Alderan say that the Orlando violence is the worst tragedy involving LGBTQ people they have seen in their lifetimes. (Don Marce/CBC)

Meanwhile others like Kevin Michael Perry and Toby Alderanwere emotional when speaking about the events in Florida.

"Never inour lifetimes have we ever, ever witnessed such tragedy, because really we're all connected and we want to make sure that everyone knows that this can't happen anymore. It really can't," said Perry.

Many people brought signs of support and love to the candle light vigil for Orlando on Sunday June 12, 2016. (Don Marce/CBC)

"I'm just really glad that everyone who feels something for Orlando is here and if they can't make it, they're here in spirit, I know that."

Gary Paterson, a United Church minister was one of several people who addressed the crowd asking them to say no to hatred.

Gary Paterson, a United Church minister, was one of several people who addressed the crowd asking them to stand together and reject hate. (Don Marce/CBC)

"No to the killing, offering our tears and our determination that we will keep moving forward in love," he said.

with files from Anita Bathe