Crowds gather in London gay district to pay tribute to victims of Orlando mass shooting

THOUSANDS gathered in London’s famous gay district Soho yesterday in a vigil to remember the 49 people massacred in the Orlando nightclub attack.

Sobbing crowds released balloons and sang in the heartfelt tribute – a scene mirrored in cities across the globe.

A minute silence was also held for the victims of the mass shooting at Orlando gay nightclub Pulse on Sunday morning.

Crowds gathered outside The Admiral Duncan gay pub on Old Compton Street – scene of its own anti-gay atrocity in 1999, when neo-Nazi David Copeland set off a nail bomb, killing three.

Politicians including Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn and Tory education minister Nicky Morgan were present to join in mourning with the LGBT community.

Organiser Ciara McGuire told Sky News: "We just felt we needed a place where people could come and be around friends and get support from people and show solidarity with the people in Orlando as well.

"It felt really important to be around other LGBTQ people and have that support."

Another organiser, Tris Reid-Smith, said it was "an unprecedented response to an unprecedented situation".

London’s Metropolitan Police said it is committing an “appropriate” number of bobbies to patrol the city’s annual gay pride event later this month as fears of a similar ISIS-inspired attack in the UK mount.

Acts of solidarity with the Orlando victims were also witnessed in major cities worldwide.

Tributes took place in Hong Kong, Sydney, Washington DC and even Moscow – despite Russia’s panned anti-gay laws.

Pictures have emerged of a man even being arrested by Moscow police for trying to place a placard and a candle on the small shrine outside the US embassy.

Gunman Omar Mateen killed 49 party-goers in a homophobic ISIS-inspired massacre in a gay nightclub early on Sunday morning.

He was killed in a gunfight with police.

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