New York’s “March for Our Lives” rally on Saturday saw hundreds of people walk across the Brooklyn Bridge and through the streets of Brooklyn demanding federal action to stop gun violence in America.
The massive gathering was just one in more than 300 rallies across the U.S. scheduled for June 11 as part of the “March for Our Lives” movement, initially launched in the wake of the Parkland, FL school shooting in 2018 and now an annual event calling upon federal lawmakers to pass gun control measures.
The marches occurred just weeks after 19 children and two teachers were murdered in a mass shooting at the Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas. The massacre, in which the perpetrator used an AR-15 assault weapon, provoked new horror and anger among Americans over gun violence in the country, and demands that Congress finally act after years of inaction and obstruction on the issue.
At Saturday’s march in Brooklyn, the demonstrators held up signs demanding “gun reform now” and a ban on assault weapons. They focused much of their rage on the National Rifle Association (NRA), which has long lobbied Republicans against the passage of any new gun control bills.
“How do you spell killers? NRA!,” the crowd chanted. Others appealed “Stand up, fight back!”, “No justice, no peace, get these guns off our streets!” and “End gun violence!” as they made their way on the bridge and through Downtown Brooklyn toward Cadman Plaza.
Has America not yet had enough of our schools, workplaces, houses of worship, grocery stores, and far too many other locations turning into killing fields?
It’s time for #GunControlNow!#MarchForOurLives #EnoughIsEnough https://t.co/YFxz0rZOvl pic.twitter.com/iWGyqDr4Hr
— Fabien Levy (@Fabien_Levy) June 11, 2022
At Cadman Plaza, organizers set up a memorial of white crosses bearing the names of the 19 victims of the Uvalde school shooting. The tribute included an iron statue of a child hiding under their desk.
Mayor Eric Adams and state Attorney General Letitia James were among those at the front of the march.
“We need to dam the river of the Supreme Court with the open carry rule. We need to dam the river of allowing a non-extensive background check,” Adams told reporters at the rally. “There’s so many rivers we have to dam that feed the sea of violence, and particularly gun violence in our city.”
“Nothing happens in this country until young people stand up — not politicians,” James added.
With AP reports, and reporting by Lloyd Mitchell
