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Portland Observer
Online
‘City of Roses’
Volume XLV
Number 24
Movies, Concerts
and More
The Greatest
Laid to Rest
A summer free for
all at Portland
Parks
Ali honored as
fearless man of
principle
See Metro, page 9
See story, page 5
www.portlandobserver.com
Wednesday • June 15, 2016
Established in 1970
Committed to Cultural Diversity
photo by b enjamin K erensa
Hundreds of people gather in front of Embers on Sunday, a historic gay nightclub in the Pearl District off of Northwest Couch and Broadway, to show solidarity with
Orlando, just hours after the worst shooting massacre in U.S. history left 50 dead at Orlando’s Pulse LGBT nightclub. Portland’s Pride celebration is kicking off this week
from a place of condolence and concern of safety.
Horror, Anger and Healing
Pride week dampened
by gay club massacre
by C ervante p ope
t he p ortland o bserver
Early Sunday morning a lone gunman entered a gay
nightclub Pulse in Orlando, Fla. during a Latino themed
dance night, ending the lives of 50 people and injuring 53
in what’s considered the deadliest mass shooting in U.S.
history.
The club posted this note at 2:09 a.m. on their Facebook
page, a quick cautionary warning to horriic bloodshed
that was to come: “Everyone get out of Pulse and keep
running,”
The suspected gunman, identiied as Omar Mateen, a
U.S. citizen born to immigrant Afghanistan parents, was
shot dead by police after a gunight and the taking of hos-
tages. Mateen swore allegiance to ISIS in a 911 call made
before the shootings and had been investigated by the FBI
for possible ties to terrorists in the past, oficials said.
While family, friends and investigators in Florida are
steadily working on identifying victims and holding me-
morials, LGBTQ communities in other cities, including
Portland, are expressing deep support for Orlando and try-
ing to igure out how to keep gay pride festivities annually
held each June as safe as possible for participants.
Portland’s Pride celebration is kicking off this week
from a place of condolence and concern of safety.
Vigils were held in solidarity for the Orlando victims
on Sunday including one in front of Embers, a historic gay
nightclub in the Pearl District off of Northwest Couch and
Broadway.
Mayor Charlie Hales was one of the speakers at the cer-
C ontinued on p age 4