Mayor Bill de Blasio condemned the mass shooting at an Orlando gay nightclub that left 50 dead and over 53 others wounded Sunday, calling the attack "not just an attack on human beings, but an attack on our values. Our values of tolerance and freedom." The Mayor made the statement Sunday afternoon after marching in the celebratory National Puerto Rican Day Parade.
"We stand in solidarity, as New York City knows so well what it feels like to be the victim of a terrorist attack," de Blasio told reporters. "It's an act of terror, there's no question about that, and it's an act of hate."
While de Blasio assured New Yorkers "there are no credible threats directed at New York City," he also reiterated that NYPD counter-terrorism units have been placed on heightened alert. "You'll see a lot of additional police presence on the streets of the city," de Blasio said, specifically noting that "key LGBT community institutions" will see elevated police presence. "There is no city in the world better-prepared to stop terror, to stop hate crimes."
Flags at City Hall (and the White House) have been lowered to half-staff in reverence to those killed, and de Blasio confirmed reports that City Hall will be lit in rainbow colors at sunset Sunday as a gesture of solidarity with the entire LGBT community. The New York Times reports that de Blasio plans to attend an evening vigil at Stonewall Inn Monday night.
In addition to Monday night's vigil at Stonewall Inn, the Mayor's Clergy Advisory Council will host a vigil tonight at Judson Memorial Church in Washington Square Park, beginning at 7 p.m. Other Sunday Night vigils, including one at Diversity Plaza in Queens, have been planned throughout the city.
