An SNP councillor has welcomed Glasgow City Council’s decision to fly the rainbow flag at half-mast as a mark of respect to those who died at the hands of a gunman in a gay club in the US.

Austin Sheridan, 23, who has previously spoken of the homophobic abuse he has suffered, wrote to the local authority’s chief executive about the killing of 50 people at Pulse in Orlando.

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In the letter he urged the council to flay the rainbow flag - a symbol of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex (LGBTI) pride – from the City Chambers at half-mast.

The Lord Provost’s office agreed to the request and the flag is now flying above the iconic building in George Square.

Glasgow Times:

Mr Sheridan said: “What has happened in Orlando has been a tragedy which has had a far reaching impact on the LGBTI community around the world.

“It is a fitting show of solidarity for Glasgow City Council to follow the lead of the Scottish Government and fly the rainbow flag.”

READ MORE: JK Rowling tweets sadness after discovering one of the Orlando shooting victims worked on Harry Potter ride

A vigil is due to be held in George Square tonight from 5.30pm to 6.30pm and almost 400 people have indicated they will attend on Facebook.

 ‘Glasgow Stands with Pulse Orlando’ will “provide a space for us to mourn with our community,” organisers said.

The event description on Facebook added: “This was a hate crime against our community, and an extension of the messages that we hear daily that we should not be visible, we should not be out, and we should not exist.

“There has already been attempts to blame Islam for this violence, and it's especially important that we come together to condemn this racist scapegoating.”

Journalist Owen Jones, 31, walked off a live newspaper review on Sky News after the show's presenter refused to describe the Orlando nightclub shooting as an attack on gay people.

Omar Mateen killed 50 people and wounded 53 more in the deadliest mass shooting in recent US history, before being shot dead by police.

He telephoned police and pledged allegiance to Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (Isil) before he opened fire on the crowds with an assault rifle and handgun.

His father Seddique Mateen told US reporters that his son was angered after seeing two men kissing in Miami.

Jones said: “People rationalise their hatred. This guy, apparently, according to his dad, saw two men kissing and he was repulsed by it.

“And people know this who are gay, that there are people out there who are sickened and repulsed by our very existence and this guy, however he dresses up his bigotry and hatred, is somebody who hates gays.”