The murder of over 50 people at the Pulse gay nightclub in Orlando, Florida early on Sunday morning has shocked and repulsed people worldwide.
As the scale of the horror became apparent throughout the day yesterday, it was clear that this was a massive news story, not just for the US but for the world.
US president Barack Obama described the mass murder as “an act of terror”, and pointedly “an act of hate” against LGBT people.
"In the face of hate and violence, we will love one another. We will not give into fear." —@POTUS https://t.co/i7fOS38GzH
— The White House (@WhiteHouse) June 12, 2016
Sure enough, most of America’s and the world’s media reflected the magnitude of what had happened.
Front pages from across the US #Orlando pic.twitter.com/6RPQZJCnye
— Philip Bromwell (@philipbromwell) June 13, 2016
Monday 13th June 2016
front page newspaper collage #uk #frontpagestoday pic.twitter.com/AHA4BI4G2p— ⓒⓕ (@cfmcfc) June 12, 2016
But there was one notable exception. Monday’s cover of the ‘Daily Mail’ makes absolutely no reference to the Orlando tragedy, instead splashing on a story about a “plot to let 1.5 million Turks into Britain”, along with coverage of Queen Elizabeth’s 90th birthday, plus an offer to get a pair of earrings like Her Majesty’s.
According to ‘The Guardian’, “the only recognition that [The Mail] had initially underplayed the story in its first edition was to move its spread forward from pages 10-11 to pages 4-5 by the second.”
The front page of today's Daily Mail, Britain's most widely read newspaper. Predictably, they missed out Orlando pic.twitter.com/XbqtRjTOTo
— arun (@scamful) June 13, 2016
There has been a scathing response to the Mail’s lack of front page coverage.
The fact the Daily Mail has run another scaremongering #Brexit piece on their front page instead of the Orlando shooting is despicable
— Alexander Thygesen (@AlexThyger) June 13, 2016
nothing else going on? quiet weekend, was it? no dozens of gay people being senselessly murdered? pic.twitter.com/zpyP9OQF2C
— David Wyllie (@journodave) June 12, 2016
Worst terror attack since 9/11 in the US and The Daily Mail lead with this drivel. What a hateful rag. #DailyMail pic.twitter.com/6pwJ1ZNe7C
— Mr Burns (@supernoodle76) June 13, 2016
After one of the worst massacres in US history, Daily Mail leads with immigration scare & free earrings. For shame. pic.twitter.com/EhXYzX7NSA
— James Rhodes (@JRhodesPianist) June 13, 2016
Today's Daily Mail has a story about why Mary Berry doesn't let her grandkids on her iPad before it has a story about #Orlando
— Martin Carter (@martinloves) June 13, 2016
No room on the Daily Mail's front page for the LGBT massacre in Orlando because the Queen's jewellery takes priority pic.twitter.com/0h65Q5YYrQ
— (((Will))) (@WillMcHoebag) June 12, 2016
And the fact the Daily Mail didn't even acknowledge the massacre in Orlando on its front page just speaks volumes about that dreadful rag.
— Dave Jones (@WelshGasDoc) June 13, 2016
Pretty gobsmacked that today's #DailyMail didn't deem the gunning down of 50 innocent club goers in America as front page news… ?
— Claire Jones (@ClaireJonesArt) June 13, 2016
No room to mention the Orlando massacre on the Daily Mail front page, with far more pressing imaginary issues. pic.twitter.com/SBvADaVvwh
— John Walker (@botherer) June 13, 2016
Disturbed, perturbed & disgusted at @DailyMailUK Frontpage today-more concerned with Immigration than 50 massacred pic.twitter.com/i3MgUTpoP1
— Linda Riley (@LindaRiley8) June 13, 2016
Writing in ‘The Guardian’, Roy Greenslade tries to unpack the “eccentric” decision to not splash on the biggest story of the day, concluding that: “It would appear to have been a mixture of its Eurosceptic fanaticism (the so-what speculative splash) plus commercial cynicism (a preordained determination to plug its readers’ offer: “pearl and white sapphire earrings, inspired by the stunning pearl earrings worn by the Queen… worth £35”).”
Why the Daily Mail didn't run Orlando massacre on front page: mix of commercial cynicism and Eurosceptic fanaticism https://t.co/CsSHnvN8dl
— Roy Greenslade (@GreensladeR) June 13, 2016