March 14, 2018

Students Across the Country Walked Out of School Today to Demand Action on Guns

The historic protests lasted 17 minutes to mark the number of people killed in Parkland, Florida.

Julio Cortez/AP

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Students across the United States will participate in coordinated school walkouts Wednesday morning to protest gun violence and call on Congress to enact stricter gun legislation after the Parkland, Florida, shooting that occurred exactly one month ago. The historic demonstrations will start at 10 a.m. across every time zone and last 17 minutes to honor the 17 people killed at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School.

The protests come as President Donald Trump abandoned his previous calls to raise the minimum age to purchase guns from 18 to 21. The school safety plan put forth by the White House on Sunday was largely viewed as a significant bow to the National Rifle Association. 

Mother Jones will provide rolling coverage of the walkouts below. Stay tuned.

1:40 pm. EST

For more on the history of student activism in the United States, be sure to read our great timeline tracking the role of young people in helping shape and build progress.

1:05 p.m. EST

Some scenes from the west coast as protests begin to take off.

https://twitter.com/sydbrownstone/status/973966787510386688

12:40 p.m. EST

Walkouts in the Mountain time zone, including protests at Columbine High School, are underway.

12:15 p.m. EST

This video of a student participating in #NationalWalkoutDay alone at his school is quickly going viral.

11:30 a.m. EST

Still on the east coast, protestors have gathered outside the Capitol building to continue the day of protests. Mother Jones reporter Nathalie Baptiste is on the scene as the crowd builds, while reporter Kara Voght continues her coverage of the Senate Judiciary committee’s hearing on school safety:

https://twitter.com/karavoght/status/973946629651910656

https://twitter.com/karavoght/status/973943510381551616

11:15 a.m. EST

The next wave of protests in the central time zone are underway.

10:50 a.m. EST

In addition to the protests, groups of students are also registering to vote Wednesday morning in order to elect lawmakers that will act on gun control.

10:45 a.m. EST

10:35 a.m. EST 

Meanwhile, Mother Jones fellow Kara Voght is keeping tabs on the Senate Judiciary Committee’s hearing on school safety.

https://twitter.com/karavoght/status/973916452658057216

https://twitter.com/karavoght/status/973920938264793089

10:30 a.m. EST

Several reports on social media are circulating of teachers and school administrators blocking students from participating in the walkouts.

https://twitter.com/Odessa_See/status/973926093278339074

https://twitter.com/TLsixseven/status/973964516101967873

10:25 a.m. EST

Mother Jones reporter Nathalie Baptiste is at the scene outside the White House.

10:20 a.m. EST

Lawmakers, including Sen. Chris Murphy, voice their support amid the students’ demonstrations. 

10:15 a.m. EST

https://twitter.com/cora/status/973924022114291712

10:10 a.m. EST

Some students from Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School are participating in the protests. David Hogg, who has been outspoken about Congress’ inaction, provides a live stream (below) of the event:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K0rX_9sGQGM

10:05 a.m. EST

Protests on the east coast have taken off:

9:55 a.m. EST

Several protests are already underway, including one that will take students to the White House.

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It is astonishingly hard keeping a newsroom afloat these days, and we need to raise $253,000 in online donations quickly, by October 7.

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Readers also told us to just give it to you straight when we need to ask for your support, and seeing how matter-of-factly explaining our inner workings, our challenges and finances, can bring more of you in has been a real silver lining. So our online membership lead, Brian, lays it all out for you in his personal, insider account (that literally puts his skin in the game!) of how urgent things are right now.

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