'We Have to Do Something': LGBT Clubs Stand in Solidarity in Wake of Shooting

The 29-year-old gunman, Omar Siddiqui Mateen, entered the club just after 2 AM and began opening fire on patrons. After taking hostages, he was finally killed three hours later when the police stormed the venue. The death toll currently stands at 50, although it is expected to rise. Another 53 people are injured. In a separate incident, police arrested a heavily armed man en route to the Los Angeles Pride Parade on Sunday, though it is unclear if the two incidents are related.

The LGBT community in the US has been stunned by the attack, which has been described by one media commentator as the "the worst atrocity committed against LGBT people in the western world for generations." In Europe, club owners and promoters have scrambled to understand why a club in one of the most gay-friendly districts in the US was targeted, and if it could happen in their own countries.

"We've had attacks on UK LGBT events in the past, ranging from homophobic happenings inside and outside bars and clubs to the Soho nail bomb in 1999, and beyond," said a spokesperson for Club Kali in London, which is billed as the world's largest Asian music LGBT club. "The threat is always there… from homophobes, extremists, and haters. Safety has always been a priority at Club Kali and our security measures are tight. However, we will step them up yet again."

In 1999, a neo-Nazi planted a bomb at the traditional center of London's gay scene—Old Compton Street in Soho—killing three and injuring 140. A vigil for Orlando is planned in Soho on Monday, with bars, clubs, and restaurants on Old Compton Street pausing service and asking patrons to hold hands in memory of the Pulse victims.

"It's a huge tragedy and it affects the LGBT community massively, which is why we're organizing the vigil," said Nieko Strobel, the PR manager for Ku Bar, one of the venues behind the event. He told Broadly that security would be increased at Ku Bar's three venues in London, with more numbers of staff hired for longer hours.

"We are constantly being more vigilant in light of recent events around the world, and London has been named a target [by terrorists]," he acknowledged. "It makes the community feel like they are a target, and we have to reassure them that we're doing everything we can. But our venues are there for them to act how they want [to], and to be safe in. We will continue to do our best security wise and ensure that these events don't stop us celebrating love, life, and diversity."

In the Republic of Ireland, LGBT groups and organizations are organizing a vigil beside City Hall in Dublin. The George—a nightclub and pub that opened eight years before homosexuality was legalized in Ireland—also started a GoFundMe page for the victims of the Orlando shooting.

"It was just something so that we could support and help the victims," said Darragh Flynn, a manager at the George. "It struck a chord with a lot of people in the community. It's an attack on LGBT spaces and people see that." While the page is currently down pending verification, the George is also recommending people donate to an EqualityNow fundraiser.

Berlin-based club promoter and DJ Gloria Viagra said that she was shocked but unsurprised by the attack. "Honestly, for me it was just a matter of time that [something like it] was gonna happen to the LGBT scene," she told Broadly over the phone. "A week ago I was at Gay Pride in Tel Aviv and I thought, 'Well, this would be a perfect target for extremists.' I was—not waiting—but I was not surprised. I was really sad."

Both Gloria Viagra and Club Kali emphasized the importance of showing solidarity with the Muslim community and queer Muslims in the wake of the Pulse attack. "BAME [black and minority ethnic] people are extra vulnerable to homophobia from within their religious and cultural communities as well as racism from the wider LGBTQ scene," said the spokesperson for Club Kali. "Many of the Orlando victims are Latino."

"The fact is that most of the perpetrators of Orlando, Paris, Sandy Hook, and other atrocities are actually not observant of any religion, but often use one as an excuse for their crazy, unhinged behaviour. There is nothing pious about murdering people is there?"

Gloria Viagra added: "[We have] to be the best example of tolerance [to others]. In our scene, there is still a lot of racism—we are against each other instead of [showing] solidarity and helping the weakest in our midst. That's what we have to do, and be a big example."

The Association for Gays and Lesbians (LSVD) in Germany organized a vigil on Monday that saw mourners place wreaths, rainbow flags, and flowers outside the American Embassy in Pariser Platz. Viagra said she was currently looking into donating part of the admission fees from her next night to the victims of the shooting.

"We have to do something," she said. "We can't wait till they kill us."