Twitter Users Remember Harambe On Anniversary Of Gorilla’s Death

Twitter was flooded with messages on the anniversary of Harambe’s death yesterday.

The gorilla, who became an internet sensation, was shot and killed last year after a small child entered its enclosure. Zookeepers feared for the 3-year-old boy’s life and came to the controversial decision to shoot 17-year-old Harambe. The incident occured at the Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden.

The gorilla soon sparked thousands of memes and viral videos, becoming a part of internet culture. According to Google Trends, Harambe was the No. 1 meme in the United States last year. 5 percent of Americans even voted for Harambe in a poll ahead of the presidential election last November.

On Sunday, Twitter users came together to remember the late gorilla, sharing countless tributes and memes. “Harambe died a year ago today and the whole world gone to hell since,” one fan wrote. Another added, “One year ago today, a legend was taken from us.. Rest easy champ, we miss you Harambe.”

Many users also left comments on the Cincinnati Zoo Twitter page. For every post the zoo wrote, they replied with a comment about Harambe.

Although there were some genuine concern from animal’s rights activists, Harambe’s tragedy was mostly referenced in the form of a meme. “Harambe died a year ago and the whole world gone to hell since,” one user wrote.