New Yorkers Turn Out To Mourn Orlando

With only a few hours notice, a massive crowd of New Yorkers jammed tiny Sheridan Square in Manhattan’s West Village late this afternoon to express anger and heartbreak over last night’s massacre in Orlando. As a steady stream of mourners arrived to lay flowers outside the iconic Stonewall Inn, veteran activists including Ann Northrop and Ken Kidd clambered onto a stoop to deliver speeches in the classic street activism “mic check” style.

Along the edges of crowd about two dozen heavily armed members of NYPD stood stoically but on alert as television crews conducted interviews with passersby, many of whom spoke furiously through tears. At one point, led by an group unseen to me in the middle of the crowd, attendees erupted in a singalong of Over The Rainbow. As the song ended a small child’s voice wafted over the square: “STOP THE HATE!” And then, for the first time, you saw smiles.

A more formal vigil will take place at the same location tomorrow night. Expect major New York City political figures to attend.