Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has come under fire for failing to acknowledge the LGBTQ+ and Latinx victims of the Pulse nightclub massacre during his official tribute on the tragedy’s ninth anniversary.
The shooting occurred in the early hours of 12 June 2016, during a “Latin Night” at the popular Orlando nightclub. The attack, which left 49 people dead and 53 injured, disproportionately impacted LGBTQ+ and Latinx communities.
As part of this year’s Pulse Remembrance Day on 12 June, DeSantis issued an order to lower state flags to half-mast and delivered a speech commemorating the victims. Yet, his remarks made no mention of the marginalised communities most affected by the massacre.
“Nine years ago, on June 12, 2016, a shooter claiming allegiance to the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant committed a horrific act of terrorism at Pulse Nightclub in Orlando, Florida,” DeSantis stated.
State Senator Carlos Guillermo Smith, Florida’s first openly gay Hispanic senator, criticised the governor’s omission, describing it as “intentional.”
“The omission was as intentional as it was a slight against the impacted LGBTQ and Hispanic communities,” Smith said. “The governor’s lack of consistency here shows he cares more about scoring political points in the moment than authentic solidarity with his own constituents.”
Smith stressed the importance of remembering the 49 lives lost to gun violence and supporting the families affected by the tragedy.
This is not the first time DeSantis has faced backlash for such exclusions. In 2019, a similar oversight drew public criticism, prompting his office to issue a statement attributing the omission to a staff error.
Gunman Omar Mateen was killed by police after a three-hour standoff. In 2018, his widow was acquitted of aiding and abetting and of obstructing justice. The Pulse site is now set to be demolished, with a memorial planned in its place. Survivors have been invited to visit the location before demolition begins.
