DeSantis lowers flags in commemoration of Pulse massacre

Flags over state and local facilities will fly at half-staff on Sunday under a proclamation that Gov. Ron DeSantis has issued to commemorate the sixth anniversary of the gun attack on Orlando’s Pulse nightclub that claimed 49 lives.

The governor also asks all residents of Florida to pause for a moment of silence at 9 a.m. Sunday.

The proclamation also acknowledges and observes June 12th as Pulse Remembrance Day in Florida.

“As a mark of respect for the victims, their families, and the many affected by this tragedy, I signed the attached proclamation directing the flags of the United States and the State of Florida to be flown at half-staff at all local and state buildings, installations, and grounds throughout the State of Florida from sunrise to sunset on Sunday, June 12, 2022,” the governor said in a written statement.

In addition to the dead, 53 people were wounded in the attack by a man who’d pledged his loyalty to ISIS. The Pulse was a nightclub that was hosting a Latin night on the evening of the attack, and the victims were largely Latino.

The onePULSE Foundation, created to commemorate the attack, has organized a series of memorial events this weekend.

The LGBTQ+ community has been harshly critical of the Republican governor for a series of initiatives targeting its members, including the “Parental Rights in Education,” or “Don’t Say Gay” law and his Department of Health’s attack on gender-affirming medical and psychological care for transgender people.

The proclamation can be seen here, listing the names of people killed.

This story was originally published by The Phoenix and is republished under Creative Commons license CC BY-NC-ND 4.0.