A screenshot of the image posted by the United States Embassy in Jamaica on its Facebook page, showing the US flag and the rainbow flag — a global symbol of the LGBT movement — being flown at half mast out of respect for the Orlando nightclub shooting victims. Like the rest of the world, many Jamaicans reacted on social media with shock, sadness and condemnation to the deadly shooting at Pulse nightclub in Orlando, Florida on June 12. Prime Minister Andrew Holness issued a statement later that day expressing sympathies to the American people and noting that Jamaica itself is struggling to cope with a high level of gun violence. The U.S. Embassy in Jamaica flew a rainbow flag just below the national flag at half-mast on the Monday that followed the violence, tweeting and sharing a photo on its Facebook page. Jamaican LGBT rights group J-FLAG posted the photo on their website and Facebook page with one word: “Amazing.” However, two days later, things went awry after Attorney General Marlene Malahoo Forte (a Harvard alumna, World Yale Fellow and former judge) tweeted on June 14: “I strongly condemn the #OrlandoNightClubShooting but find it disrespectful of Jamaica's laws to have #RainbowFlag flown here. #MyPersonalView” Screenshot of the Jamaican Attorney General's tweet that has since been removed from Twitter. The U.S. Embassy responded to her tweet: @mmalahooforte we're listening. Explain the legal reasoning? It was an attack of terror !!and!! hate, targeting the LGBT community. — US Embassy Jamaica (@USEmbassyJA) June 14, 2016 The Attorney General did not reply. Responses to the attorney general’s tweet were mixed, but many Jamaicans were angered by her perceived insensitivity, and surprised that she had expressed her personal views on Twitter. Donahue Martin tweeted: If I put up a rainbow flag I guess the AG would send agents of the state to my home. The symbol of God's promise is offensive, apparently — D.I.Y (@DonahueMartinJa) June 14, 2016 Tech entrepreneur Ingrid Riley shared on Facebook: OF RAINBOW FLAGS + SOME JAMAICANS’ PRIDE IN THEIR HYPOCRISY I knew the Rainbow flag being flown at the US Embassy here in Jamaica, in support of the 53 people [the actual number of fatalities is 49] who lost their lives in Orlando, at the hands of a lunatic, was going to cause a stir. But let's get some things clear. […] It was a hateful, cowardly attack on the freedom to be, do and have the kind of life we all want […] It's the US Embassy, they can fly any colour, size flag they damn well please, Embassy grounds are US territory. […] The Attorney General's statement about the Rainbow Flag on Twitter is unfortunate ( the most diplomatic word I could find ) and it is not aligned with God, ma'am. The last time I checked, she/he is still a God of Love. […] Jamaica's laws are highly discriminatory against hundreds of thousands of our fellow human beings. Let's not even get started on the Justice System, over which the AG now presides. […] The more we choose love, over hypocrisy and discrimination, the better off, we all will be. It would be nice to hear this from our Political Leaders… ‘Regardless of race, religion, faith or sexual orientation, we’re all Jamaicans.’ ‪#‎IAMNOTwithHer‬ ‪#‎IamNotWithTheAG‬ ‪#‎SomeOnePassMeARainblowFlag‬ Let us stop majoring in the damn minors man! Jamaica has had a bumpy road to the acceptance of LGBT rights. The country has an international reputation for being homophobic — from dancehall lyrics with anti-gay sentiments to violence against members of the LGBT community and even media blackouts on ads advocating tolerance and acceptance. Many Jamaicans routinely make a distinction between their largely religious-based opposition to homosexuality and homophobia. This is the same country in which the first-ever local gay pride celebrations came off without a hitch nearly a year ago, so the public discourse about homosexuality is certainly changing. Radio talk show host and attorney Emily Shields noted: Walked into my office a short moment ago to see that my head of chambers is wearing a rainbow tie.#RainbowDay — Emily Shields (@emilymshields) June 14, 2016 She added: I was searching for a rainbow flag yday.