( ENSPIRE News ) March for our Lives, a Student-led Protest, Spread Across the Nation Demanding Lawmakers for Change with Gun Laws
ENSPIRE Contributor: Erin Griffin
On June 11, March for Our Lives, a student-led organization focused on gun violence prevention, made its presence known in Washington D.C., and cities around the country. Their attendance was in response to the recent mass shootings in Uvalde, Texas, and Buffalo, New York. The march began on Saturday, June 11 at the Washington Monument, where speakers pushed politicians to lawmakers to act against gun violence in the country.
March for Our Lives was founded by student survivors of the 2018 Parkland, Florida mass shooting. Now, almost four years later, they make their way to Washington D.C., once more to plead to lawmakers for gun control laws. Demonstrators gathered at the National Mall on June 11 following a similar mass shooting that occurred in Uvalde, Texas, where a gunman killed 19 students and 2 teachers.
The protest itself was faced with its own panic, as during a moment of silence, a protester threw an unidentified object into the crowd. As hundreds of people sprinted away from the crowd, shouting could be heard from the unidentified man as he yelled “I am the gun!” Officials quickly rushed to the stands to assure the public there was no threat, as the man was detained and brought into custody.
Some signs that made their way into the march were marked with pleas such as “I just want to finish high school”, “Enough is enough!”, and “Radical Change Now!” The ages of the attendees of the march start as young as elementary school, reaching as high as retired teachers and grandparents. Families were seen huddled together, while parents grasped their children by their sides. Friends held hands as they marched through D.C., with rage and exasperation.
Speakers of the march comprised previous school shooting survivors. David Hogg, a survivor of the 2018 massacre at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida opened the rally as he stood amongst thousands at the National Mall. Tension and frustration filled the audience as many speakers pleaded to the council and lawmakers to change gun control laws.
A few of the cities that took part in the protests included Washington D.C., New York City, Atlanta, San Antonio, Los Angeles, and cities across New Jersey.
As marches continue to happen across the nation, hundreds still challenge lawmakers to see the problem surrounding gun laws and make the changes. Students, families, teachers, and parents continue to march in states across the US, pleading for reformation and safety for their children.
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