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Gainesville Community Honors Victims Of Pulse Nightclub Massacre

Marchers gather in Gainesville Sunday, June 11 for the Equality March for Unity and Pride in downtown Gainesville. (Daniela Hurtado/WUFT News)
Marchers gather in Gainesville Sunday, June 11 for the Equality March for Unity and Pride in downtown Gainesville. (Daniela Hurtado/WUFT News)

A day before the one-year anniversary of the Pulse Nightclub tragedy in Orlando, members of the Gainesville community gathered in Bo Diddley Plaza to remember the victims of the massacre. More than 200 people marched as part of the Equality March for Unity and Pride, part of a nationwide network of similar marches Sunday.

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The march culminated in a rally in the plaza downtown, where community members, faith leaders and other speakers spoke, perform and shared messages of love and support for the victims and survivors of Pulse and for members of the LGBTQ community.

"This march will hopefully show people that we stand together," said Reverend Catherine Dearlove of Trinity Metropolitan Community Church Of Gainesville. "We have to put the voice of love louder than the voice of hate."

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Among the chants and cheers of the marchers, many remember the 49 victims at Pulse. During the ceremony, each victim's name was read outloud, as the crowd at Bo Diddley Plaza fell silent.

"The Pulse massacre was something that affected people across the nation and the world, " said Gainesville District 2 Commissioner Harvey Ward.

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There was also a memorial Monday night at Usler Hall on the University of Florida campus

Daniela is a reporter for WUFT News and can be contacted by calling 352-392-6397 or emailing news@wuft.org.