Parkland students scarred, determined after lives changed forever

“We’re not going to stop until there’s a change, because it’s ridiculous”.

As people lined up to speak, young children at the protest, chasing each other in the thawing snow, attempting to climb the soldier’s monument at the head of the square.

“We students have become victims of our government’s glaring inaction”, said Demetri Hoth, a Stoneman Douglas senior. His answer was simple: “Look around”.

“We will fight for this until change happens”. “Everybody here is standing with the future of our society”.

He said that the aftermath of the shooting and his newfound activism made it somewhat hard to juggle his classes and college life, describing how he had to email his teachers to explain why he had to miss class.

“This is a movement of our generation, which is going to save lives because enough is enough”, she said, to enthusiastic cheers from the crowd.

Riley Helberg, a 14-year-old freshman at Crescenta Valley High School, said the Los Angeles march could eclipse the Women’s March there with more than 100,000 expected, along with a performance from singer Charlie Puth. We are. The corrupt aren’t manipulating the facts.

“We know what the root of the problem is”, she said.

In Toronto, marchers carried signs protesting both gun violence in the United States and recent shootings that have plagued the city as they marched from a downtown square to the U.S. Consulate. In addition, Cameron had a stern message for any lawmakers not on board with the movement’s cause: “Politicians, either represent the people or get out”.

When students at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High return to school after spring break, they will be required to carry their belongings in clear plastic backpacks, and students and staff will have to wear identification badges at all times on campus. “You are creating issues that affect us, and we will not stand for that, ‘” said Fleming. “The voters are coming”.

Security concerns have grown after the accused gunman’s brother, Zachary Cruz, was recently discovered trespassing on the school’s campus – as well as other safety concerns following the killing of 17 students and faculty on February 14, officials said.

Bodil Geyer, who organized the march in Vancouver, said hundreds of people showed up despite a fake Facebook event showing the wrong time.

“You guys inspire me every day to be the young adult that I am”, he says.

“We had anti-bullying campaigns and I think it’s better to come at it from the other perspective, let’s not discourage bullying, let’s just be kind then bullies will stand out and not have a place to function, ‘ says Sliger”.

“It goes on in workplaces, schools, pools, parks, movie theaters – bullying, violence happens everywhere”, said Adrianna Weikert, 13. And I’m pissed. Because my daughter, I’m not going to see again.

“You have started something that is incredibly powerful”, Kaine said.

He noted this is only the beginning and “today is a bad day for tyranny and corruption”.

They are demanding tighter controls on the sales of weapons, especially assault rifles, and directing their fury toward the NRA and politicians who have failed to enact meaningful legislation to address rampant gun violence that kills 30,000 people per year in the US.