LGBTQ Group Holds Protest To Mourn Las Vegas Massacre Victims

Curtis M. Wong

A group of LGBTQ advocates responded to Sunday’s mass shooting in Las Vegas by taking to the streets of New York in a poignant display of solidarity.

More than 100 Gays Against Guns (GAG) protesters marched from Manhattan’s Union Square to Times Square Monday carrying banners and placards outlining their support for stronger gun control. “No more massacres! Fuck the [National Rifle Association],” many of the demonstrators shouted as they marched, as seen in the video above.

Based in New York, GAG is “committed to nonviolently breaking the gun industry’s chain of death—investors, manufacturers, the NRA and politicians who block strong gun laws.” The group formed last year in response to the Pulse nightclub massacre in Orlando, Florida that left 49 people, many of whom were people of color who identified as LGBTQ, dead.

More than 100 Gays Against Guns (GAG) protesters marched from New York's Union Square to Times Square Monday in honor of the 59 people killed in Sunday's mass shooting in Las Vegas.  (Photo: Courtesy photo)
More than 100 Gays Against Guns (GAG) protesters marched from New York's Union Square to Times Square Monday in honor of the 59 people killed in Sunday's mass shooting in Las Vegas.  (Photo: Courtesy photo)

Since then, members of the group have staged “die-in” protests at a number of events across the country in an effort to demonstrate support for gun control laws.

Activist Terry Roethlein told HuffPost that he and other GAG members were empowered by the turnout at Monday’s rally, held one day after 59 people were killed and over 500 wounded when Stephen Paddock opened fire at the Route 91 Harvest Festival in Las Vegas.

“It was great to see a few hundred folks come out last night for our impromptu action marking the latest disgusting act of gun carnage that happened in Las Vegas on Sunday,” he said. ”It’s quite obvious that many Americans are so disturbed by these domestic acts of terror, which happen again and again because our government refuses to take leadership to fight the ignorance, fear and greed that feed the gun violence epidemic.”

"It’s quite obvious that many Americans are so disturbed by these domestic acts of terror," GAG activist Terry Roethlein told HuffPost.  (Photo: Sue Brisk)
"It’s quite obvious that many Americans are so disturbed by these domestic acts of terror," GAG activist Terry Roethlein told HuffPost.  (Photo: Sue Brisk)

Roethlein added that GAG planned to “push back against our government’s murderous negligence” and convince the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) to appropriately research the causes of gun violence in the United States.

“GAG has mounted a major project doing just that,” he said, “and we hope that, at the very least, this latest sickening tragedy will empower more people to join us in this effort.”

GAG is “committed to nonviolently breaking the gun industry’s chain of death—investors, manufacturers, the NRA and politicians who block strong gun laws.”  (Photo: Sue Brisk)
GAG is “committed to nonviolently breaking the gun industry’s chain of death—investors, manufacturers, the NRA and politicians who block strong gun laws.”  (Photo: Sue Brisk)

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Also on HuffPost

People hug and cry outside the Thomas & Mack Center after a mass shooting at the Route 91 Harvest country music festival on Oct. 2, 2017, in Las Vegas.
People hug and cry outside the Thomas & Mack Center after a mass shooting at the Route 91 Harvest country music festival on Oct. 2, 2017, in Las Vegas.
A cowboy hat lies in the street.
A cowboy hat lies in the street.
Las Vegas police search for the gunman while protecting fleeing fans.
Las Vegas police search for the gunman while protecting fleeing fans.
Fans run from the Route 91 Harvest festival after a gunman opened fire.
Fans run from the Route 91 Harvest festival after a gunman opened fire.
Others dive for cover.
Others dive for cover.
Some fans drop to the ground.
Some fans drop to the ground.
People run from the Route 91 Harvest festival.
People run from the Route 91 Harvest festival.
People scramble for cover.
People scramble for cover.
A man in a wheelchair is helped away.
A man in a wheelchair is helped away.
People run for cover. 
People run for cover. 
A person takes cover amid the shooting. 
A person takes cover amid the shooting. 
 A person runs barefoot from the shooting. 
 A person runs barefoot from the shooting. 
Police officers stop a man who drove down Tropicana Avenue near Las Vegas Boulevard, which had been closed.
Police officers stop a man who drove down Tropicana Avenue near Las Vegas Boulevard, which had been closed.
A pair of cowboy boots lies in the street outside the concert venue.
A pair of cowboy boots lies in the street outside the concert venue.

This article originally appeared on HuffPost.