Orlando shooting vigil in Charlottetown attracts huge crowd
'It definitely blows any kind of thought about where P.E.I. stands on equality out of the water.'
The pews at Trinity United church were full of solemn faces and loved ones holding each other tight Tuesday night.
More than 1,000 people came out to the vigil in honour of the victims of the Orlando shootings.
The crowd was from all walks of life, including Premier Wade MacLauchlan and the leaders from several different religions. Organizers were only expecting around a third of crowd that turned out. Pride PEI Chair Tyler Murnaghan takes it as a sign of hope.
"It definitely blows any kind of thought about where P.E.I. stands on equality out of the water." he said.
"I mean, if we can get as many people places like Halifax did then this is not some backwoods place that people think it is. This is a growing, diverse, multi-community that's ready to show its pride."
Vigil was needed
The vigil came together in only a few days, but it was something the community was crying for, said Murnaghan.
"I know there's been a lot of confusion, a lot of anxiousness, about what's happened in Orlando, so having a place where you can feel comfortable and express what you're feeling is definitely what our community needed right at this time."
That was true for Dave Stewart, he attended with his husband Dave Morrow.
"When I heard about the shooting in Orlando, it had an effect on me that I found very hard to put into words. It made me very angry, it made me very sad. " he said.
Stewart went on to say he feels this could be a wake-up call for those who think the fight against homophobia is over.
"I know that there's been some talk that the shooter may have been gay himself, and if that is the case it's still the same thing it's in my eyes: a result of a homophobia that didn't allow him to live his life as he should have, and it made him create this ridiculous rage that ended up causing grief," he said.
Emotions ran high
The night was filled with emotion. There were moments of sorrow, anger and laughter and even a surprise performance from singer Lenny Gallant. Some speakers, like Josie Green, spoke of the reality of living in fear.
"I'm worrying if I walk down that street wearing a pride flag, or if I'm somehow outed, I have to worry about whether or not I will experience an act of violence against me at 16," she said.
Derrick Biso spoke of a way to change things.
"Every single moment needs more love and not less," he said over applause.
"That person needed a whole lot of love and they never received it. But maybe if we start being more aware of that, we start providing more love and not less, in every single moment, we will never see anything like this happen again."
The P.E.I. Pride Festival is about a month away. Many at the vigil think it may be a one of the biggest turnouts ever given the recent events. Dave Morrow is hoping so.
"I think it's going to make it stronger," said Morrow.
"I think people are going to come out and support us and show that they have our backs and that we are part of the community," he said.
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