Students around US stage huge walkout against gun violence

FROM Washington to Los Angeles, students walked out of U.S. classrooms Wednesday in the largest grassroots protest against gun violence seen in years, demanding action one month to the day after a deadly shooting rampage at a Florida high school.

Hundreds of teenagers from Washington area schools gathered outside the White House, holding up signs reading “Books Not Bullets” and “Protect People Not Guns” before marching on the U.S. Capitol.

Students in dozens of other cities in all 50 states staged similar demonstrations and observed a moment of silence to honor the 14 students and three adult staff killed a month ago at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida.

In Washington, several hours after the protests broke up, U.S. lawmakers took their first significant step to address school gun violence since the Parkland shooting.

The House of Representatives voted 407-10 to fund violence prevention measures in schools, including boosting security, mental health screening and creating anonymous reporting systems so students can report threats. But Congress has yet to tackle the more controversial aspects of gun control demanded in the wake of the Parkland shooting. These include expanded background checks for gun sales, a ban on assault weapons and raising the minimum age for some firearms purchases.

Hillary Clinton praised the students Wednesday evening, calling them an “inspiration to millions of Americans who know commonsense gun reform is long overdue.”

The nationwide protest was held one month to the day after Nikolas Cruz, a troubled 19-year-old former student at Stoneman Douglas, unleashed a hail of gunfire on his one-time classmates. Cruz, dressed in a red prison jumpsuit, appeared in court in Fort Lauderdale on Wednesday, and a judge entered a not guilty plea on his behalf. His lawyers had said he would plead guilty in exchange for guarantees that he would not face execution, but prosecutors say they will seek the death penalty.

The United States sees more than 30,000 gun-related deaths annually, and Stoneman Douglas students have spearheaded a national gun control campaign, helping to force through a new law on age limits for gun purchasers in Florida.

The U.S. public supports tougher gun laws, according to polls, but there is little backing for meaningful reforms in the Republican-controlled Congress.

Trump momentarily signaled support for curbing access to guns, notably by raising the age for purchases from 18 to 21, but now stands accused of bowing to the NRA. He backed away from supporting age limits on gun purchases, sending the proposal to a commission on school safety, as well as expanding background checks. Such checks are currently only performed on people buying firearms from licensed gun dealers. Sales online and at gun shows are exempt.

According to the #ENOUGH campaign, students from more than 3,000 schools nationwide took part in Wednesday’s demonstrations. Another nationwide student-inspired protest, the March For Our Lives, is set for March 24.