Bologna, June 12, 2016 – “We read with horror of the massacre that took place last night in the Orlando nightclub,” declared Gabriele Piazzoni, national secretary of Arcigay. He continued: "First and foremost, we express our solidarity with the LGBT community, affected by this attack, and with the families and loved ones of the numerous victims. Whether it was a terrorist attack or a hate crime, the LGBT community is an explicit target of both: it is targeted because it is the recipient of a particular hatred or because, as in other similar incidents, it represents the exercise of freedom in a place of entertainment. In this sense, and in both cases, we are striking at the heart of a community that has made visibility and the fight against fear a daily battle. This evening at 10:30 PM, together with other associations, Arcigay is organizing a rally on Gay Street in Rome to remember the victims of the massacre. Tomorrow, two more protests will remember the victims in Milan and Naples, where two of the United States' diplomatic missions in Italy are located. Similar initiatives are being organized in other cities, details of which will be announced in the coming hours," concluded Piazzoni.