From James Cordon to J.K. Rowling, the tributes for Orlando victims are heartwarming and tender

Following the mass shooting at Pulse nightclub in Florida, the LGBT community in Dublin gathered to hold a silent vigil in remembrance and solidarity for their American brethren. Now public figures have come out to show their sympathy for the victims and those who survive them with tributes for Orlando victims and those who knew and loved them.

At Apple’s WWDC conference held yesterday, 13 June 2016, Tim Cook took to the stage and one of the first things he did was acknowledge the weekend’s affair.

“Before we start with the keynote we’d like to take a moment to talk about the tragedy that occurred yesterday in Orlando, Florida,” he said sombrely.

“We offer our deepest sympathies to everyone whose lives were touched by this violence. It was a senseless, unconscionable act of terrorism and hate aimed at dividing and destroying.”

He asked the attendees to rise in a moment of silence

J.K. Rowling tweeted that she “I can’t stop crying” after she learned that one of the victims was an employee at the Harry Potter ride at Universal.

Luis Vielma worked on the Harry Potter ride at Universal. He was 22 years old. I can't stop crying. #Orlando pic.twitter.com/Nz2ZCWxNsS

— J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) June 13, 2016

Luis Vielma, 22,  was one of those slain at Pulse nightclub in Orlando and his friends and colleagues at Universal honoured him in the most touching way, by raising their wands the way students of Hogwarts did when Dumbledore was killed.

James Corden gave a tribute to the massacre in his introduction to the Tony awards on Sunday.

“Our hearts go out to all of those affected by this atrocity,” James said. “You are not on your own right now, your tragedy is our tragedy”.

Anderson Cooper on CNN gave an emotional speech in which he expressed sympathy for the victims of “the deadliest mass shooting in American history,” and told the world about some of the victims, their life and what they were like.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F9tWYfHhJac

These are just some of the tributes for Orlando that people in the public eye have made to offer their condolences for victims and those who have been affected by the tragedy.

Tributes for Orlando are continuing to pour in and with this tragedy and as sorrow turns to outrage, the LGBT community must unite and mobilise to stamp out homophobia, biphobia, transphobia and any other kind of discrimination which has contributed to this and other atrocities against our extended LGBT family.