London is holding a candlelight vigil for Orlando victims and the LGBTQ2S community

The United States’ deadliest mass shooting in history affects the LGBTQ2S community worldwide, which is why as a nation we still have so much to fight for.

Pride London’s President, Andrew Rosser explains that we need to keep fighting for equal human rights, “with ISIS throwing gay men off the top of buildings, and with countries reintroducing laws that oppress LGBTQ2S communities. Even in the States, we have laws that are oppressing trans genders’ rights to use the washrooms. This is another example of why Pride is so important and why we have so much to fight for.”

Early Sunday morning, an American- born man who pledged allegiance to the Islamic State, went on a shooting rampage in a well-known gay nightclub. The rampage resulted in Omar Mateen of Fort Pierce, Florida, killing 49 people and wounding 53. After a three-hour standoff with tons of people trapped inside the club, police ended the attack by shooting and killing Mateen. The attack is considered the nation’s worst rage since 9/11.

Rosser explains that it’s difficult for everyone to understand the magnitude of the issue. “Unfortunately, those people that don’t understand why we don’t have pride parades for every community and why we don’t have a straight pride parade – those ignorant people, for lack of a better term – may never get it. So I want to educate people, but there are some people who are just resistant to learning about equality. It’s hard to answer to those people because that’s their beliefs.”

London’s LGBTQ2S community’s support has been successful within its recent years; especially with the pride festival gaining more attention every year and our soon to be permanent rainbow crosswalks that will be entering the streets. Even back in November when city hall raised our transgendered flag, it keynoted a great milestone for London.

Rosser says he doesn’t expect it to stop now. London’s initiatives, love and support will be on going and strong, even though there’s still a long way to go.

London is holding a candlelight vigil Tuesday June 14^th, 2016 at Aeolian Hall. The ceremony will begin at 7:30pm, but the doors are opening at 6:30.

Everyone and anyone in the community are welcome and encouraged to attend so we can honour the victims and show our compassion to the LGBTQ2S community.

The point of the vigil is to come together as a community as a chance to truly connect.