U Washingtonu je mnoštvo preplavilo ulice između Bijele kuće i Capitola. Očekivalo se pola milijuna mladih i odraslih, a skup se održavao uz geslo: "Nikad više!"
Unuka Martina Luthera Kinga kojoj je tek 9 godina, uputila je u subotu u Washingtonu snažan poziv protiv vatrenog oružja, a njezina je spontanost potaknula oduševljenje okupljenog mnoštva.
SEATTLE, WA - MARCH 24: Gregory Pleasant, 17, center, and Elijah Lewis, 18, of Rainier Beach High School hold their fists in the air before the March for Our Lives rally on March 24, 2018 in Seattle, Washington. More than 800 March for Our Lives events, organized by survivors of the Parkland, Florida school shooting on February 14 that left 17 dead, are taking place around the world to call for legislative action to address school safety and gun violence. Lindsey Wasson/Getty Images/AFP
Nadahnuvši se slavnim govorom svog djeda, aktivista za građanska prava, Yolanda Renee King je rekla: "U snu koji ja sanjam, previše je previše. U ovom svijetu ne bi trebalo biti oružja. Prenesite poruku, čujete li? Diljem čitave zemlje. Bit ćemo velik naraštaj", dodala je sigurnim glasom, što je popraćeno pljeskom.
Više od 800 prosvjednih skupova predviđeno je u drugim američkim gradovima i u svijetu na kojima glavnu riječ imaju mladi.
U New Yorku, Atlanti, Chicagu i St. Paulu (Minnesota), tisuće ljudi su se okupile u subotu prijepodne kako bi pružile potporu prosvjedu.
Hod za naše živote
Na nacionalnoj razini prosvjed pod nazivom "Hod za naše živote" reakcija je na pokolj 17 osoba u srednjoj školi u Parklandu, u saveznoj državi Floridi 14. veljače.
Nezadovoljstvo je prouzročilo nedjelovanje parlamentarnih zastupnika i državnih vlasti koji ne žele djelovati protiv Nacionalne udruge za vatreno oružje (NRA), moćnog lobija za vatreno oružje.
People carrying portraits of young victims of the Sandy Hook Elementary school massacre take part in the March for Our Lives Rally near Central Park West in New York on March 24, 2018. . Galvanized by a massacre at a Florida high school, hundreds of thousands of Americans are expected to take to the streets in cities across the United States on Saturday in the biggest protest for gun control in a generation. / AFP PHOTO / EDUARDO MUNOZ ALVAREZ
Velik broj slogana bio je politički. "Pomozimo da SAD nadvlada NRA", rekao je David Hogg, učenik i jedan od predstavnika prosvjednog pokreta, pozivajući sve da na izborima biraju one koji se protive nošenju oružja.
Milijuni Amerikanaca smatraju mogućnost nošenja vatrenog oružja ustavnim pravom koje je jednako važno kao i sloboda govora.
Generacija masovne pucnjave
Oružje je odgovorno za smrt više od 30.000 osoba na godinu u SAD-u gdje se školska mladež ponekad predstavlja kao "generacija masovne pucnjave" ili "generacija Columbine", po imenu srednje škole u Coloradu gdje su dva učenika 1999. usmrtila 12 kolega i profesora.
Prosvjedima su pružile potporu mnoge slavne osobe, a neke trebaju u subotu nastupiti na pozornici na Constitution Avenue u Washingtonu.
Slavni dali podršku
Među slavnima koji podupiru srednjoškolce u Parklandu, na Floridi, su Ariana Grande, Jennifer Hudson, Demi Lovato, Justin Timberlake, Miley Cyrus i Justin Bieber.
WASHINGTON, DC - MARCH 24: Jennifer Hudson performs "The Times They are A-Changing" during the March for Our Lives rally on March 24, 2018 in Washington, DC. Hundreds of thousands of demonstrators, including students, teachers and parents gathered in Washington for the anti-gun violence rally organized by survivors of the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooting on February 14 that left 17 dead. More than 800 related events are taking place around the world to call for legislative action to address school safety and gun violence. Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images/AFP
WASHINGTON, DC - MARCH 24: Demi Lovato performs "Skyscraper" during the March for Our Lives rally on March 24, 2018 in Washington, DC. Hundreds of thousands of demonstrators, including students, teachers and parents gathered in Washington for the anti-gun violence rally organized by survivors of the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooting on February 14 that left 17 dead. More than 800 related events are taking place around the world to call for legislative action to address school safety and gun violence. Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images/AFP
WASHINGTON, DC - MARCH 24: Miley Cyrus performs "The Climb" during the March for Our Lives rally on March 24, 2018 in Washington, DC. Hundreds of thousands of demonstrators, including students, teachers and parents gathered in Washington for the anti-gun violence rally organized by survivors of the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooting on February 14 that left 17 dead. More than 800 related events are taking place around the world to call for legislative action to address school safety and gun violence. Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images/AFP
Singer Ariana Grande sings during the March for Our Lives Rally in Washington, DC on March 24, 2018. Galvanized by a massacre at a Florida high school, hundreds of thousands of Americans are expected to take to the streets in cities across the United States on Saturday in the biggest protest for gun control in a generation. / AFP PHOTO / JIM WATSON
Ubojstvo koje je u Parklandu počinio bivši učenik, psihički nestabilan, spojilo je "preživjele" učenike koji su već pet tjedana sveprisutni su u medijima.
Petero njih našlo se na naslovnici časopisa Time ovog tjedna. Njihova energija priskrbila im je podršku brojnih poznatih osoba.
George Clooney, Oprah Winfrey i Steven Spielberg dali su po 500.000 dolara kao podršku "Hodu za naše živote".
Glumac Bill Murray usporedio je mobilizaciju Amerikanca protiv nošenja vatrenog oružja s onom iz šezdesetih godina protiv rata u Vijetnamu.
