On the 9th anniversary of the Pulse Nightclub shooting, which takes place in the middle of both Pride Month and National Gun Violence Awareness Month, Amnesty International USA’s Gender, Sexuality and Identity Director, Karla Gonzales Garcia, made the following statement:
“The Pulse Nightclub was a sanctuary for the LGBTQI+ community in Orlando until that hate-motivated gun attack on June 12, 2016, which was the direct result of pervasive harmful rhetoric against the LGBTQI+ community. The Trump administration continues to discriminate against, suppress, and threaten LGBTQI+ people, all while we continue to see the proliferation of small arms across the U.S.
“Today, as we honor the survivors, those who lost their lives, and the activists and advocates working tirelessly to end gun violence and ensure LGBTQI+ people can enjoy the full range of their human rights, we also commit to redoubling our efforts to end discrimination, harassment and violence against LGBTQI+ people here in the U.S and around the world.”
Amnesty International USA’s Director of Gun Violence Prevention, Ernest Coverson, added:
“The Pulse shooting remains one of the most significant acts of hatred against the LGBTQI+ community in U.S. history. It is also one of thousands of mass shootings that could have been prevented through common sense and widely supported gun control measures.
“We call on lawmakers across the political spectrum to swiftly enact reforms to curb the dangerous spread of guns in the U.S. Reducing gun violence and creating a country fully welcoming to LGBTQI+ people is the best way to honor the victims and survivors of the Pulse shooting.”
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