Dozens gathered at Lake Eola on Saturday to honor the 50 Muslim lives taken by a racist gunman during Friday prayers at two Christchurch mosques in New Zealand.
For many in Orlando, Saturday's vigil and healing circle renewed – and reciprocated – the solidarity shown in 2016 after the Pulse nightclub shooting, where 49 people were gunned down in what was once the deadliest mass shooting in modern U.S. history. The "From Orlando to New Zealand" event was organized by local Muslim community activists Rasha Mubarak and Nuren Haider.
"Safety and security equates to standing up against this kind of hate that motivates these acts of violence," Mubarak says in a statement. "It should be denounced in any country and people worldwide have a responsibility to stand up and say enough. We will honor them with action and re-commit our work of eradicating white supremacy and hate. We do this for the 49 of Orlando to the 49 of New Zealand, and all marginalized communities who were taken at the hands of senselessness and bigotry."
