TEARS OF ANGELS
SCOT TAKES ON HATERS AFTER GAY CLUB ATROCITY
A Scot working at the Orlando nightclub targeted by a gunman has told how he is taking on hate-filled protesters picketing the funerals of victims.
Russell Walker helped to organise a counter- ral ly of supporters dressed as angels with giant wings to block fundamentalist Christians demonstrating at a service for murdered Christopher Leinonen.
He was one of 49 people killed by Omar Mateen after the murderer attacked the Pulse club with automatic weapons.
Westboro Baptist Church, who featured in Louis Theroux’s 2007 BBC documentary The Most Hated Family in America, attempted to protest at Leinonen’s funeral.
But gay community leader Russell – who works as a poker dealer at Pulse – made sure their demonstration failed.
Russell , director for Orlando LGBT charity the Hope And Help Centre, has also been dealing with the aftermath of the massacre.
He said: “We had to stop them. The FBI contacted me and a few others and told us they were coming.
“We used my contacts in City Hall to get a permit for a counter-rally.
“Westboro want people to come out against them but they hope that you’ve not done it legally and then they sue the city for allowing another protest to go on.
“Or they hope someone hits them so they can sue. So we called the city straight away and they managed to get us a permit within 12 hours.”
Russell, from Muirhead, near Glasgow, added: “Our action staved it off.
“That day was the first time a lot of us really cried – it was actually being faced with such hatred. We tried to shower them with love.”
The 32-year- old escaped being caught up in the atrocity only because it was his night off when killer Mateen went on the rampage at Pulse last month.
Russell’s dancer friend Xavier Emmanuel Serrano Rosado was among those killed.
He said: “The first I knew what had happened was when my parents in Scotland called me. It was about 4am here and I had no idea why they were calling.
“They knew I worked there. I was so worried for my friends. Staff at Pulse were very much treated as a family.”
But Russell – who has lived in the US for seven years – dismissed reports that Mateen was a regular at the gay club. He said: “I think there were some people who wanted to make themselves part of the story and spouted nonsense.
“Any bartenders I’ve spoken to say they had never seen him.”
Russell’s job has been to try to support those affected by the atrocity. A charity fund for victims has raised more than £13million.
He says two families in Florida initially refused to accept the bodies of victims because they were gay. He added: “There are at least
two cases of parents who refused to accept their children when they were alive because they were gay and wouldn’t take their bodies.
“Orlando’s very progressive but the state of Florida is very Republican and religious. There is a lot of homophobia still around.”
Russell is confident Pulse will reopen. He said: “Everyone wants Pulse back. This will not beat us.
“There are random things that set you off on a bit of a cry. But you have to pick yourself up and get on with it.”
We were faced with hatred. It was the first time a lot of us really cried