Orlando May Purchase Pulse to Establish a Permanent Memorial
‘People Are Traveling From All Over the Country, Really All Over the World’
Orlando city officials are in discussions with the owners of Pulse nightclub to potentially turn the scene of the nation’s deadliest hate crime, deadliest mass shooting in modern history, and deadliest terror attack since 9/11 into a permanent memorial.
Now that the investigation has concluded, police have turned over control of Pulse to Barbara Poma, one of the owners. A large chain link fence erected around the building has turned into a spontaneous memorial for the victims, as people come from around the world to pay their respects. Inside the perimeter Pulse sits empty, its future uncertain.
Poma had intended to repair the damage and reopen the club, but the site has since turned into what Poma describes as a “sacred place.”
Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer has discussed the possibility of converting the club into a memorial with Pulse owners. “I think we need to determine some period of time that we leave it exactly as is with some adequate fencing because there will be people in the next, I don’t know what that period is but let’s say it’s year, that want to travel here to see it as it exists without making modifications to it,” Dyer told WMFE radio. “There’s some time frame I think that we need to keep it in tact as is, and then after that transition to what the permanent memorial will be.”
Talks are preliminary, but Dyer sounded committed to the memorial. “At some point the city needs to gain control, purchase the Pulse site, and make some determination with a lot of input on what a permanent memorial might look like,” he said.
Interest from the public remains high as people continue to flock to the site. “People are traveling from all over the country, really all over the world. I’ve been, quite honestly, a little surprised at the volume of visitors that we have had,” he continued. “I think there are a lot of people that want to pay tribute.”
Â
Image by Walter via Flickr and a CC license
Enjoy this piece?
… then let us make a small request. The New Civil Rights Movement depends on readers like you to meet our ongoing expenses and continue producing quality progressive journalism. Three Silicon Valley giants consume 70 percent of all online advertising dollars, so we need your help to continue doing what we do.
NCRM is independent. You won’t find mainstream media bias here. From unflinching coverage of religious extremism, to spotlighting efforts to roll back our rights, NCRM continues to speak truth to power. America needs independent voices like NCRM to be sure no one is forgotten.
Every reader contribution, whatever the amount, makes a tremendous difference. Help ensure NCRM remains independent long into the future. Support progressive journalism with a one-time contribution to NCRM, or click here to become a subscriber. Thank you. Click here to donate by check.