Downtown
National School Walk Out Day this Friday
There will be street closures and limited “No Parking” zones on Friday for the safety of march participants.
This Friday, April 20th, marks the 19th anniversary of the mass shooting at Columbine High School. Until about a month ago it was the deadliest shooting in a high school in the United States. That unfortunate record was passed with the shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida that killed 17.
To mark the anniversary of Columbine and to call on lawmakers to change gun control laws students across the country are taking to the streets as part of National School Walk Out Day.
The protest began as a Change.org petition after the shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School. More than 255,000 people have signed the petition, and there are over 2,000 protests registered.
We are the students, we are the victims, we are change, fight gun violence now! High School students across the U.S.A, the way to fight back is here. There has been too much complacency on the part of politicians when it comes to gun violence. The time to act is now!
Public school shootings affect communities and especially teenagers. On February, 14th a High School shooting in Parkland, Florida occurred, killing 17 people. Still, POTUS has not addressed any form of gun legislation. The majority of teenagers have no right to vote, leaving our voice unheard. The government does not hear or care how these tragedies affect our lives. Seven children and teens are killed with guns in the U.S. on an average day (https://everytownresearch.org). The violence of guns is being performed in our schools and our communities. Not the Senate floor. As the future of America, it is time for teenagers to speak their minds and put their frustration into action.
Locally the protest will take place from 12-3 PM that Friday. Participants will gather on Brown’s Island and then march north on 7th street and then take East Grace Street onto the Capitol. The governor and other elected officials are expected to attend.
After walking out, at 12:00pm, students and citizens from across the state of Virginia will gather at Brown’s Island for a pre-rally which will include a voter registration drive, meet and greet with legislators, music, and speakers. At 1:00pm, we will march from Brown’s Island to the Virginia State Capitol. And at 2:00pm, we will host our official rally on the steps of the State Capitol, featuring students, legislators, and leaders from across the state. The list includes Governor Ralph Northam, Virginia Delegates/Senators, student survivors, and many other organizations/individuals.
It’s time for change. It’s time for action. We’re fighting for fixes to gun violence in Richmond, Virginia, and our country. We’re fighting for a new era of consistent progress towards a better and safer future for every Virginian and every American.
Police have announced the following street closures:
Thousands of people are expected to march in downtown Richmond this Friday as part of a nationwide event to rally against school gun violence.
Several roads will be temporarily closed in the area of Tredegar Street and North 7th Street during the assembly and subsequent march. Limited “No Parking” zones will be in effect from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on North 7th Street and East Grace Street between North 7th and North 9th Streets.
Both Henrico and Hanover, stated that the students without written permission from their parents to leave campus, will be marked with an unexcused absence.
