Hundreds join in solidarity against the "mindless" killings that left 49 dead
Hundreds of people have attended a poignant vigil in memory of those killed in the Orlando Pulse Nightclub shootings.
Members of the public joined LGBT campaigners, activists and religious leaders at the rally in Glasgow’s George Square to show support for the 49 people who were killed in the attack.
Some 600 turned out for the hour-long vigil, titled "Glasgow Stands With Pulse Orlando".
Candles were lit, prayers were said and many attending held hands in solidarity for those killed and in defiance of what many are calling an act of terrorism on the LGBT community.
As the rainbow flag flew half mast from the City chambers, Clo Meehan, from the Free Pride Glasgow group, which organised the vigil, said the Orlando attack had been perpetrated on a community that already felt very vulnerable.
"It's really important that we can just be together at the moment," she said.
"The fact is that for a lot of us who are LGBT, part of that community, seeing that kind of hatred is not as much of a shock because it is just an extreme of the hatred that we do we face every day, from harassment on the street, harassment from our family and our work places.
"It really does hit home for us because it just reminds us that even in spaces like a gay nightclub, which is supposed to be a safe space for us, we can still be subjected to that kind of violence."
Mohammad Asif, from the Afghan Human Rights Foundation, also attended.
He said: "The murderer was of Afghan origin and we are here to show solidarity and stand shoulder to shoulder.
"No matter what their colour is, their beliefs are, whether they were gay or lesbian, or Muslim or Jews or Christians or Hindus, at the end of day they were innocent human beings.
"They were brutally killed by a mindless and heartless individual."
Rev Kelvin Holdsworth added: "It's a feeling that something has to be done, even if it's just standing beside one another. We need to change the homophobia that's still present in society."
Omar Mateen killed at least 49 people and wounded 53 more in the deadliest mass shooting in recent US history, before being shot dead by police.
A similar vigil event, "Edinburgh Stands With Orlando" is set to take place in the capital's St Andrew Square on Wednesday from 19:00 until 19:45.
