Australians have gathered in parks, streets and halls across the country to hold candlelight vigils for Floridians killed in the Pulse nightclub massacre.
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Candles were distributed as the crowd held a minute of silence while reflecting on the faces of the 49 people killed in the attack on Sunday, when heavily armed gunman Omar Mateen opened fire and seized hostages at the gay nightclub Pulse.
Emotional leaders of Ballarat’s LGBTI community told the crowd they would not be silenced or oppressed by fear.
They wrapped their arms around each other as the faces of those killed flashed before them on a projector screen.
A similar sized crowd turned out for the vigil held in Launceston’s Civic Square.
They gathered in Civic Square for speeches, music and poetry before paying their respects at Town Hall, which has been illuminated with rainbow lights since Tuesday as a show of support.
In Albury, mourners quietly sobbed, while others sang along to the music at QEII Square as a colourful crowd paid tribute to the fallen victims of the Orlando shooting.
Wodonga's Shane Morris proudly donned a rainbow hat and vest in support of the LGBTIQ community.
He said the service was a much needed event for all members of the community.
“When I first heard about the shooting, I just felt sadness,” he said.
“But then I got to a point where I was angry at how something like this could happen at all.
“It's just infuriating and hard to understand.
“This vigil is very important, not only for the memory of the people in Orlando, but to support the community here.”
Those sentiments were shared by Orange residents and leaders of the local LGBTQI community, Julie Proctor and Bradley Tyack.
"Even though people say they accept gays, their actions don't always reflect that and GLBT people still have to conform to a different set of standards to fit in and feel safe within the general public."
Earlier in the week, Wagga’s Victory Memorial Gardens was lit up with more than 100 residents with a simple message: we are here.
People from all walks of life gathered to light a display and pray for the victims of last week’s massacre in Orlando, which left 49 people dead.
Members of the city’s LGBTQI community said the vigil will be a start of the healing process.
Many remarked it was heartbreaking the attack occurred at the same time the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Choir made its triumphant return to the city.