Thousands of students across the United States staged a massive walkout to protest gun violence in the wake of the Florida high school massacre that killed 17 students and staff members.
Students were urged to leave class at 10 a.m. local time for 17 minutes – one minute for each of the dead in the Feb. 14 shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School.
Thousands of students gathered on Pennsylvania Avenue in front of the White House, cheering in support of gun control. The students chanted, “Hey, hey, ho, ho. The NRA has got to go!” President Donald Trump was in Los Angeles at the time.
Students, staff and other supporters held coloured signs during the walkouts that said things like, “Am I next?” “Protect kids, ban guns,” and “How many more?”
A large group of students sat with their backs to the White House for 17 minutes of silence to honour the victims of the Valentine’s Day massacre.
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Marjory Stoneman Douglas students join mass walkout -
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High school students stage anti-gun protest directly in front of Trump Hotel -
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National Walkout Day: Denver school holds moment of silence -
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Thousands walk out of class at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High -
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Students to walk out across U.S. to protest gun violence
Stoneman Douglas High senior David Hogg livestreamed the walkout at the tragedy-stricken school in Parkland, Florida, on his YouTube channel. Walking amid a mass of people making their way onto the football field, he criticized politicians for not taking more action to protect students.
READ MORE: Chilling 911 calls from Florida school shootings released 3 weeks after tragedy
He said the students could not be expected to remain in class when there was work to do to prevent gun violence.
“Every one of these individuals could have died that day. I could have died that day,” he said.
WATCH: Florida students call out lawmakers, ask for more gun controls
Activists hoped it would be the biggest demonstration of student activism yet in response to the Florida shooting.
–with files from the Associated Press
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