World leaders spoke out against Sunday's shooting
of an Orlando nightclub, which killed 49 people.
of an Orlando nightclub, which killed 49 people.
From across the world, officials and
public figures are expressing
condemnation and shock over the Florida
mass shooting at the Pulse Orlando
nightclub on Sunday, when police say a
gunman wielding an assault-type rifle
opened fire, killing at least 49 people and
wounding dozens.
public figures are expressing
condemnation and shock over the Florida
mass shooting at the Pulse Orlando
nightclub on Sunday, when police say a
gunman wielding an assault-type rifle
opened fire, killing at least 49 people and
wounding dozens.
FRANCE
The Eiffel Tower will shine in the colors of
a rainbow on Monday night, starting at
10:45 p.m. (2045 GMT) to honor victims of
the mass shooting at an Orlando gay club.
Paris City Hall began paying respects in
the afternoon with a display of American
and rainbow flags, while French President
Francois Hollande condemned the mass
killing as an attack on freedom. He vowed
to toughen the fight against terrorism "at
the side of the American people."
"It's American that was hit but freedom
that was targeted," Hollande said after
signing a book of condolences at the U.S.
Embassy, "freedom to choose one's sexual
orientation, the freedom to determine
one's way of life."
France feels deeply the horror of deadly
attacks after the November terror attacks
on a music hall, restaurants and bars and
the main sports stadium killed 130. That
was preceded by attacks on a satirical
newspaper and a kosher grocery store. All
were claimed by the Islamic State group.
BRITAIN
With tears, song and defiance, thousands
of people gathered in London for a vigil
in honor of the victims.
Mourners packed narrow Old Compton St.
in Soho, the heart of London's gay
nightlife district, on Monday evening.
Bearing rainbow flags and signs reading
"stand with Orlando," Londoners
observed two minutes' silence, before 49
balloons - one for each person killed -
were released into the air.
Senior politicians including London
Mayor Sadiq Khan joined the vigil near
the Admiral Duncan pub, where three
people died and dozens were wounded in
a 1999 bomb attack by a far-right
extremist.
British lawmakers also held a minute's
silence Monday after what Home
Secretary Theresa May called "not just an
act of terror but an act of homophobic
hatred."
Queen Elizabeth II and Prime Minister
David Cameron have sent messages of
condolence from Britain for the attack.
J.K. Rowling says one victim of the
Orlando killings worked on the Harry
Potter Ride at the Universal Studios theme
park.
The author tweeted a picture of 22-year-
old Luis Vielma in a Hogwarts school tie,
and said: "I can't stop crying."
GERMANY
German Chancellor Angela Merkel says
it's important to continue with "our open,
tolerant life" following attacks such as the
mass shooting at an Orlando gay club.
Speaking during a visit to China on
Monday, Merkel said that "we have a
heavy heart" over the fact that "the hatred
and malignancy of a single person" cost so
many lives.
She added: "We are firmly determined,
even when such murderous attacks put us
into deep sorrow, to continue with our
open, tolerant life."
In downtown Berlin, dozens of people
have come together in front of the U.S.
Embassy to mourn the victims of the
Orlando shooting. People were setting
white lilies and pink roses next to teddy
bears in front of a rainbow flag and an
American flag.
___
UN HUMAN RIGHTS CHIEF
The U.N. human rights chief has
denounced the mass shooting at a gay
nightclub in Orlando, Florida.
Zeid Ra'ad Hussein, commenting at the
opening of the three-week Human Rights
Council session in Geneva, chronicled a
number of human rights abuses and
concerns.
He added: "I also condemn with the
greatest possible force the outrageous
attacks by violent extremists on innocent
people, chosen at random, or because of
their presumed beliefs, or opinions, or —
as we saw yesterday — their sexual
orientation."
MUSLIM NATIONS
The world's largest body of Muslim-
majority nations condemned the mass
shooting but also warned against "political
campaigning and self-serving agendas" in
the wake of the tragedy.
The 57-nation Organization of Islamic
Cooperation said in a statement Monday
that "the massacre, as terrible as it is,
must not be taken out of its context as a
domestic American case."
The OIC says it is concerned that "hasty
judgment" and "Islamophobic discourse"
have emerged before a full investigation
into the motivations and causes of the
attack.
The organization also conveyed its
condolences to the families of the victims
of "this horrible act."
It says the teachings of Islam are based on
peace and tolerance, and that terrorism is
a crime against humanity.
___
ISRAEL
Israeli President Reuven Rivlin says in a
letter to President Barack Obama that
Israel stands "shoulder to shoulder with
our American brothers and sisters" after
the attack on the LGBT community. Rivlin
sent his condolences, saying there is "no
comfort for those who have had their
loved ones torn away from them."
The Orlando attack has dominated news
in Israel, which has seen a wave of
Palestinian attacks in recent months. On
Wednesday two Palestinian gunmen killed
four people at a popular shopping and
restaurant area in Tel Aviv. LGBT groups
in Israel planned rallies and other support
for the community in Orlando.
___
PALESTINIAN TERRITORIES
Palestinian Prime Minister Rami
Hamdallah says the deadliest mass
shooting in U.S. history is a "senseless act
of terror and hate" and that "Palestinians
stand with the American people in this
difficult time."
The statement made no direct reference
to the LGBT community. Homosexuality is
deeply taboo in the conservative
Palestinian society. Gay Palestinians tend
to be secretive about their social lives and
some have crossed into Israel to live
openly safely.
The sentiment is reflected throughout the
Arab and Muslim world.
___
AFGHANISTAN
Afghanistan's Chief Executive Abdullah
Abdullah told the Cabinet as he opened
the weekly meeting live on television on
Monday morning that the Orlando attack
"tells us that terrorism knows no religion,
boundary and geography. Terrorism must
be eliminated."
He says that Afghans "do not support
terrorism but the victims of terrorist
attacks" and offered his condolences to
the people and government of the United
States. "Our hearts and minds are with
our U.S. partners." He also urged
"collective actions to end such attacks."
___
PAKISTAN
Pakistan's former military ruler Gen.
Pervez Musharraf condemned the
Orlando shooting, saying 'this is a
sobering reminder that extremism and
terrorism are on the rise.'
Musharraf, who is facing court cases at
home but left Pakistan in March for
treatment abroad, says on his Facebook
page the world must "address the root
causes of global terrorism to suck the
oxygen out of the extremist narrative of
hate, intolerance, bigotry and the
promotion of obscurantist ideology that is
radicalizing vulnerable Muslims around
the world."
___
SAUDI ARABIA
Saudi Arabia's Embassy in Washington
condemned "in the strongest terms the
attack on innocent people in Orlando" in a
statement Monday from Ambassador
Abdullah Al Saud. He said that Saudi
Arabia "will continue our work with the
United States and our partners in the
international community for an end to
these senseless acts of violence and
terror." The statement did not mention
the fact the attack happened at a gay
nightclub.
Saudi Arabia outlaws same-sex
relationships and non-Muslim gays and
lesbians can be sentenced to death by
stoning, according to Human Rights
Watch. Such executions have not been
carried out in recent years.
___
IRAN
Iran condemned the attack, but also made
no mention of the fact that it happened in
a gay nightclub.
State TV quoted Foreign Ministry
spokesman Hossein Jaberi Ansari as
saying "Iran, based on its main policies of
condemning terrorism and its strong
determination to confront this ominous
phenomenon, condemns the Orlando
terrorist attack."
In Iran, sodomy convictions can carry a
death sentence, while lesbians can face
100 lashes, according to Human Rights
Watch.
___
EGYPT
Egypt's Foreign Ministry condemned the
Orlando attack "in the strongest possible
terms," and offered condolences to the
American government and people. "Egypt
stands next to the American people in
these difficult times, offering sincere
condolences to the families of the victims
and wishing the injured a speedy
recovery."
Egypt's statement urged for international
solidarity and a "firm, comprehensive
approach to confronting terrorism, which
knows no borders or religion, and is
incompatible with all humanitarian
principles and values."
___
UNITED ARAB EMIRATES
The United Arab Emirates — home to the
Western-friendly metropolises of Abu
Dhabi and Dubai— condemned "the
terrorist attack" in Orlando, expressed its
solidarity with the United States and
called on the international community to
work to "eliminate the scourge of
terrorism."
___
LEBANON
Lebanon's Foreign Ministry is strongly
condemning the "cowardly" attack in
Orlando, expressing solidarity with the
victims and the U.S. government and
blaming the massacre on the Islamic State
group. It says no country or person is safe
from "this global blind terrorism."
The Lebanese statement doesn't explicitly
mention attacks on homosexuals. But
religiously-mixed Lebanon is the most
liberal among the region's Arab nations
regarding same-sex relationships, with an
active LBGT community. Although
technically homosexuality is against
Lebanese law, activists have strongly
challenged it in courts.
___
RUSSIA
People have been bringing flowers and
rainbow flags to the U.S. Embassy in
Moscow to show their solidarity with
victims of the shooting since early
Monday.
An Associated Press reporter saw two
young men take out a placard saying
"Love wins" before police officers came
up and led them away.
Russia passed a law in 2013 banning the
so-called propaganda of gay relationships
among minors, which authorities have
used to ban any public displays of support
for the gay community.
___
THAILAND
A vigil honoring those killed and
wounded in a Florida nightclub shooting
drew at least a dozen people to the front
gate of the U.S. Embassy in Bangkok,
Thailand. Participants passed around
white and yellow candles to light in
memory of those killed.
"We are distraught by what happened in
Orlando," said Paisarn Likhitpreechakul,
the vigil's organizer. "We are looking for
a way to express our condolences and
solidarity with the people and
government of the United States to raise
awareness of problems of violence against
the LGBT community."
U.S. Ambassador Glyn T. Davis came out
to speak with the Thai LGBT activists and
lit a candle.
Separately, Thailand's Royal Palace
released a message to President Obama
from King Bhumibol Adulyadej expressing
sympathy and condolences to him and the
bereaved families "for their irreparable
loss caused by this shocking incident."
___
INDONESIA
Indonesia's foreign ministry said the
government condemns the attack and
extends deepest sympathy to the families
of victims and the American people.
But Fahri Hamzah, the deputy speaker of
Indonesia's parliament, tweeted that the
mass killing happened because LGBT
people are too visible. Anti-gay rhetoric
by officials has been increasingly common
in the world's most populous Muslim
nation over the past year, fueled by army
leaders and conservative religious groups
who view homosexuality as an import
from the West. Hamzah was recently
booted out of his party for ethical
violations.
___
CHINA
China's official Xinhua News Agency
issued a statement saying President Xi
Jinping had telephoned his American
counterpart Barack Obama to express his
condolences over the Orlando shootings.
Xi was quoted as saying that "on behalf of
the government and people of China, I
convey to President Obama and the
American government and people my
deepest sympathies, sincere condolences
and deep grief for the victims."
___
JAPAN
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has
condemned the Orlando nightclub attack
and expressed condolences to the victims
and their families.
Abe told reporters Monday in Oita that
"Japan stands together with the people of
the United States" and that "this
despicable act of terror cannot be
tolerated."
___
AUSTRALIA
Australian Prime Minister Malcolm
Turnbull said that the Orlando mass
shooting was "an attack on all of us — on
all our freedoms, the freedom to gather
together, to celebrate, to share time with
friends."
He said he spoke with the U.S.
ambassador to Australia, John Berry, "and
formally conveyed to him Australians'
sympathy, condolences and resolute
solidarity in the face of this shocking act
of hate and terror."
"Together, at home and abroad, we
continue the fight against terrorism and
stand up for the values of our free
nations," Turnbull said.
___
SINGAPORE
The mass shooting at an Orlando gay
nightclub happened shortly after a same-
sex kiss was removed from a production
of the musical "Les Miserables" in
Singapore, and after the government said
it would look into rules of foreign funding
for gay pride parades like Pink Dot.
Law Minister K. Shanmugam said on
Facebook: "Another senseless shooting. ...
It just goes on and on. The madness is not
going to stop."
___
MALAYSIA
The prime minister of Muslim-majority
Malaysia, Najib Razak, said he was
"horrified" by the Orlando mass shooting.
"Islam abhors killing of innocent people,"
he tweeted.
A few Malaysians, using pseudonyms,
wrote on social media that they approved
of the attack at the gay nightclub because
the victims were "sinners," but they were
quickly condemned by many others.
___
MEXICO
Mexicans largely reacted to the Orlando
nightclub shootings with messages of
sympathy for the victims. President
Enrique Pena Nieto tweeted his
condolences.
Many also lamented that mass shootings
have become too common in the United
States. "My first reaction on hearing the
news was horror, but not disbelief,"
columnist Gabriel Guerra wrote in the
newspaper El Universal. "This is another
of the innumerable armed attacks that
occur daily in the United States."
In the conservative state of Jalisco, a
midlevel government official posted on
Facebook that "It's a shame there were
only 50 and not 100." Jalisco Gov.
Aristoteles Sandoval said he had ordered
that the employee be fired and promised
that "expressions of discrimination will
not be tolerated under any
circumstances."
___
BRAZIL
People at a gay pride parade in Rio de
Janeiro observed a minute of silence
Sunday to honor the victims of the
Orlando shootings.
"What happened in the United States was
unacceptable violence. We are all shocked
and cannot face this fact as normal,
never," event organizer Loren Alecander
told the broadcaster Globo.
In Sao Paulo, dozens of people attended a
vigil Sunday night carrying candles and
banners that read "Pray for Orlando."
The government issued a statement
condemning the killings and expressing
solidarity with victims' relatives and the
U.S. government.
"We are going through terrible times,
times of discrimination and intolerance
that are taking human lives," said
President Dilma Rousseff, who has been
suspended pending an impeachment trial.
___
POLAND
Warsaw residents and authorities have
placed flowers, rainbow flags and lit lights
in front of the U.S. Embassy in a sign of
respect for the victims.
Deputy Chief of the U.S. Mission in
Warsaw, John C. Law, came out to the
dozens of people gathered in the street to
thank them for their gestures of
sympathy.
Warsaw Deputy Mayor, Jacek
Wojciechowicz, placed a wreath in the
city's red and yellow colors.
Among the flowers and lights were
printed-out pictures of the victims.
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