The DC march on Saturday afternoon at the Washington Monument featured a slate of speakers pushing for gun control — and calling on lawmakers and federal leaders to take action.
“The injustices we see on the daily are being blatantly ignored by those on Capitol Hill. The cries of the nation’s children can be heard across the world, and you choose to turn a blind eye and a deaf ear to the lives being taken,” March for our Lives board member Trevon Bosley said during the rally.
“Your job is to represent and serve all the people who call this country home, and so far you’ve shown us you only represent the pockets of whoever donates the most to your campaign,” Bosley added.
Rallies underway across the US
Rallies were also scheduled in more than 400 US cities in nearly all 50 US states Saturday.
“The most divided people in this country are not in the 50 red, blue and purple states across the country, they are right here. They are the 100 senators on Capitol Hill,” Hogg said. “Because we do have Republicans with us. We do have gun owners with us. We all want change. Either they unite behind the changes we’re demanding or we will vote them out because all of us do agree, left and right, gun owners and non-gun owners, that we must take action to save lives now.”
This weekend’s marches come alongside a renewed push in Congress for gun control. Lawmakers have been facing intense pressure to act in the wake of the recent mass shootings, and at least 10 Republicans need to vote with Democrats in order to clear the 60-vote threshold to break a filibuster and pass legislation.
“I think we will put together a package that will get more than 10 Republican votes,” he told CNN’s John Berman on “New Day” on Thursday.
“To the leaders, skeptics and cynics who told us to sit down, stay silent and wait your turn, welcome to the revolution,” then-Marjory Stoneman Douglas student Cameron Kasky told the crowd in Washington at the time.
“Either represent the people or get out. Stand for us or beware.”