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Thousands join LGBT, Muslim and Latino leaders in Orlando
'This is not your fight - this is our fight. This is America's fight': Thousands join LGBT, Muslim and Latino leaders in Orlando for emotional vigil as the bell tolls 49 times for every victim
- A bell tolls for each person slain in gay club massacre at Orlando vigil, while cities across America provide support at their own events
- The Orlando vigil, outside Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts, was attended by hundreds
- Orange County Mayor Theresa Jacobs told crowd: 'This is not your fight - this is our fight. This is America's fight'
- Leaders from the LGBT, Muslim and Latino communities spoke out about loss and solidarity
- A bell tolled for each slain person before songs 'You'll Never Walk Alone' and 'Let it Be' closed out the vigil
- At the New York vigil, Governor Andrew Cuomo spoke of the need to stand up to all attacks on LGBT people
- Other vigils are occurring or will occur across the country, including Los Angeles
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Vigil: Thousands gathered to mourn, remember and heal at a vigil in Orlando Monday night for those slain in a shooting at gay club in the city early Sunday morning. Some 49 were killed and 53 injured when gunman Omar Mateen opened fire in the nightclub Pulse
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Thousands gathered in Orlando Monday night to mourn, remember and pay respect to the 49 people killed in the brutal attack on a gay nightclub in the city on Sunday morning.
Gathering on the lawn outside the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts, the crowds heard from Muslim, LGBT and Latino community leaders, and those affected by Sunday morning's attack.
And it was just one of numerous vigils in other cities, uniting cities across America in mourning.
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Goodbye: For many it was a chance to say goodbye to friends, family and acquaintances killed in what was the biggest mass murder in U.S. history
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Speaking at the event, which was broadcast live by ABC News, Orange County Mayor Theresa Jacobs said: 'I am so proud of you today - for being here for not being afraid.
But I shouldn't be surprised because you have spent a lifetime waiting for this moment - this moment to show who you are, and who we are as a community.'
'This act will not define us,' she added. 'What will define us is how we respond.'
She emphasized the need for unity within the city across all boundaries, and promised a wave of healing that would defeat the hatred seen on Sunday, when Omar Mateen killed 49 - mostly Latinos - and injured many more.
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Sorrow: Many hugged those close to them as they remembered the fallen. The vigil took place at the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts in Orlando
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Mourning: Crowds gathered earlier in the evening to lay flowers, pray, and pay respects ahead of the vigil
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Speakers from the local Muslim community took to the stage to denounce the actions of the shooter, who was a radical Islamist.
And Rasha Mubarak from the Council on American-Islamic Relations of Florida, said: 'It was just yesterday when Orlando, the City beautiful was dismantled - but this, right here, is a unity message. It is a powerful message that we will not late fear and hate divide us.'
The need for unity was also demanded by a representative of the city's Latino LGBT community who also stepped up to the podium to emphasize that the majority of the victims in the shooting were Latinos.
He emphasized the need to unite - to stamp out 'homophobia, transphobia, xenophobia, Islamophobia'.
He followed his speech with a reading of the names victims who died in the shooting, followed by a period of silence.
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Love: Many signs saying 'Love Conquers Hate' were held up by the crowd, and the need for unity, love and respect was a common theme throughout all of the speakers' talks
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Solidarity: New York's Stonewall Inn - the site of riots after homophobic action by the police in the 1960s - became a focal point for mourners in the city, who showered it in flowers throughout the day
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This was just one of many events held across the U.S. in solidarity with the victims of the Orlando shooting, their families, friends and communities.
In New York, crowds came together outside the Stonewall Inn in Greenwich Village. Almost 50 years ago, the gay bar was the focal point of riots across the city after homophobic attacks by the police.
On Monday night those memories were brought back - joined by new horrors seen in Orlando, CBS New York reported.
Standing outside the Inn, which had been showered with flowers in the day before, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo spoke of the 'beautiful sight' of 'New York at its best, coming together to speak with one voice'.
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Rise: New York Governor Andrew Cuomo (pictured) called on the city to 'rise to the occasion' and stand up to any attacks on LGBT people. 'An attack on any of us is an attack on all of us,' he said
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Standing: Support came from NYC groups and individuals, who gathered for the Stonewall meeting
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Thousands more gathered outside Philadelphia City Hall on Sunday night, including Mayor Jim Kenny.
Other vigils were occurring or set to occur Monday night.
Los Angeles is set to hold a vigil and rally at Los Angeles City Hall from 7-9pm, with smaller vigils set at Mickey's West Hollywood, a gay nightclub, at 7pm, and an interfaith vigil at the Islamic center in Koreatown.
Candlelight vigils are also being in Maine, at Portland City Hall and Bangor City Hall, both at 8:30pm.
And in Canada, the cities of Toronto and Vancouver gathered supporters to hold their own vigils at the same time as the Orlando event.
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Support: Crowds outside Philadelphia City Hall lit candles in their own vigil at the same time as the Orlando event. Akyra Murray, a high-school basketball star at Philadelphia’s West Catholic Prep, was the youngest victim of the Pulse shooting at just 18 years of age
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Power of Love: The healing power of love was a common theme throughout many of the events, including in New York
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/arti...#ixzz4BVvczmU6
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