Student protesters say they’re fed up, ready for gun reform,
WASHINGTON — Student survivors of the Florida school massacre anchored a massive rally against gun violence Saturday in Washington, D.C., while throngs of young people took to the streets in sister marches across the U.S. Some students also took part in counter protests in places such ss Helena, Mont., and Salt Lake City.
Here’s a look at what some of the demonstrators had to say:
CHARLIE SHEBS, 16
SCHOOL: Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla.
MARCHED IN: Washington, D.C.
WHY? “I’m here because previous generations couldn’t do what we’re doing right now. And we want to make this time the last time. So if that means marching all over the world, then I want to be a part of it.” WHAT DO YOU WANT TO SEE CHANGE AS A RESULT? “I don’t want to hear that kids don’t feel safe at schools. … I want to see change in gun laws, and I want to see control. We’re giving it to people who, it’s just not safe. There’s no other way to put it, really.” WHAT DID YOU EXPERIENCE DURING THE FEB. 14 SHOOTING AT YOUR SCHOOL?
“The shots just kept coming and coming. And I thought it was still a drill because they said we were going to have a drill, and then everyone started screaming along with the shots. And I was locked in the classroom on top of a printer for a good hour and a half. (When we were able to leave), I saw bodies everywhere, and there were just splatters on the wall. They actually told us to put our heads down and hands on the people’s shoulders in front of us, and it was very hard not to look around at the bullet holes in the wall. The only way to get out of the building was to step in blood and over bodies.”
GRACE BENDER, 17
SCHOOL: Capital High School in Helena, Mont.
MARCHED IN: Helena, Mont.
WHY? “My family are all gun owners, and I’ve been around guns my whole life. And I think that it’s absolutely necessary for people who own guns who are responsible gun owners to also be advocating for this because I don’t think there are two sides. I think that if you want to find solutions, you can do that really easily.” WHAT DO YOU WANT TO SEE CHANGE AS A RESULT? “I don’t want to wake up to another headline that says 20 kids died in a school shooting. I don’t want people like the Parkland shooter to be able to get access to guns like he did. I just want to feel safe in schools. I don’t want to have to keep doing shooter drills.”
ZOE BONNER, 16
SCHOOL: Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla.
MARCHED IN: Washington, D.C.
WHY? “I’m here today because it happened to our school, and it shouldn’t have happened. It shouldn’t have happened anywhere, and we feel like it’s time to make change and get gun reform.” WHAT DO YOU WANT TO SEE CHANGE AS A RESULT? “Banning military-style weapons and more protections for our schools.”
WHAT DID YOU EXPERIENCE DURING THE FEB. 14 SHOOTING AT YOUR
SCHOOL? “At first nobody really knew what it was because the fire drill had went off. So most people were going out for the fire drill, and then people heard the code red, but some people heard it too late. So it was just a lot of confusion. And then after, it was just mostly shock hearing how many people died and how quickly it happened.”
BROOKE SOLOMON, 15
SCHOOL: Cass Technical High School in Detroit
MARCHED IN: Detroit WHY? “I’m here today marching for the thousands of under-represented black and brown kids, especially in Detroit.”
WHAT DO YOU WANT TO SEE CHANGE
AS A RESULT? “I’m looking for tougher gun laws and legislation that includes banning semi-automatic and assault weapons, that includes background checks for all gun sales, and gun restraining orders.”
BRAXTON SHEWALTER, 17
SCHOOL: Columbia Falls High School in Columbia Falls, Mont.
RALLIED IN: Helena, Mont., in favor of the Second Amendment
WHY? “We are here for the millions of responsible gun owners in the United States and around the world. … I’ve been an NRA member since I was little. … That’s just kind of our way of life down here, to own a gun. Almost everyone has one. Our voices deserve to be heard too.” WHAT DO YOU WANT TO SEE CHANGE
AS A RESULT? “Anyone can have their own opinion. I believe that everybody has their own right to go out for what they believe in. But all we’re trying to do is advocate and show there are, you know, responsible gun owners in the United States. There’s 320 million people in the United States. One mass shooting happens, and they think that everyone in the U.S. in some way has to be held accountable for it.”
MAYA MCENTYRE, 15
SCHOOL: Northville High School in Northville, Mich.
MARCHED IN: Detroit WHY? “I’m really tired of being afraid at school. When I come to school, I don’t want to have to look for the nearest exit.”
HAVE YOU BEEN AT SCHOOL WHEN THERE WAS A SHOOTING OR OTHER
TYPE OF GUN THREAT? “My school hasn’t had any threats that I know of. … I don’t want to have a problem like that. I want to get to the problem before it gets to me.”