Live: U.S. protests over gun violence
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In Lindenhurst, New York, more than two dozen students at Lindenhurst High School were given extended detentions for participating in the national student walkout and disobeying orders from the superintendent who prohibited them from leaving campus, said senior Chloe Adamszky on Wednesday."We felt it was pretty outrageous, because we want to be seen, we wanted to be heard," Adamszky said, adding that they were originally suspended for three days before administrators redacted the order.Daniel Giordano, superintendent of Lindenhurst School District, said in a statement posted on the school’s website that students who chose to walk off campus did so peacefully but in violation of the Code of Conduct."Any Lindenhurst High School students who chose to walk-out of school this morning, did so peacefully and respectfully; however, they were in violation of the Code of Conduct," Giordano said. "While we respect the students' desires to make their voices heard, our paramount priority is always student safety."Kim Kazdal, a 17-year-old senior at Lindenhurst High, said that she was disappointed that her school did not show students the same support that others schools showed across the country."It's kind of demoralizing to see how our district reacted to us voicing our opinion, trying to really make a change," Kazdal said in a phone interview. "We truly care about this issue and they didn't take our voices seriously. We're young but that doesn't mean we're not intelligent."(Reporting by Gina Cherelus) -
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In Seattle, several hundred students from Roosevelt High School gathered at the school's football field, counting a minute and seventeen seconds of silence for the victims of the Parkland shooting. The group, organized by and comprised overwhelmingly of students, marched to Red Square at the University of Washington, where they were joined by hundreds more from over 4 high schools in the area.Seattle city council members M. Lorena Gonzalez and Teresa Mosqueda, as well as Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan spoke to the students gathered at Red Square.
“This was for a lot of things. Every single of of us has been individually affected by gun violence," said Roosevelt High School junior Scout Smissen, 17, who helped organize her school’s walkout. "We’re not asking to take away the second amendment....all we’re asking is that we as young people finally feel safe.“(Reporting by Lindsey Wasson) -
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Columbine High School student Leah Zunder displays writing on her arm while participating in National School Walkout to honor the 17 students and staff members killed at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, at Columbine in Littleton, Colorado. REUTERS/Rick Wilking
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In the Cleveland suburb of Lakewood, someone from a passing car shouted “Go back to class” at high school students gathered in the snow to recite the names of the 17 Parkland, Florida victims. Students at the nearby St. Edwards school bowed their heads while facing 17 crosses put up in the front of the school to represent the victims killed last month.
Reporting by Kim Palmer in Cleveland -
Alia Berry-Drobnich, 14, (L) and Sam Blank, 14, (2L), hold up their hands as they sit with hundreds of other students for 17 minutes of silence to honor the victims of the recent shooting at Florida's Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, as they take part in the national school walkout to demand stricter gun control, outside the White House in Washington. REUTERS/Leah Millis
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House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi, along with other lawmakers, participated in what she called a ‘solidarity walkout’ on Capitol Hill.“We’re all moved by your eloquence and your fearless insistence on action to prevent gun violence, she told the protesting students. "Thank you for bringing your urgency to this fight to the doorstep of America, the doorstep of the Capitol of the United States.“Enough is enough, whether Orlando, San Bernardino, South Carolina, Newtown, Sutherland Springs, Parkland, city streets, homes across the nation. There’s been too much violence, too much heartbreak. The American people overwhelmingly support common sense action to prevent the tragedy of gun violence,” she added.(Reporting by David Alexander) -
School buses blocked the entrance to Canfield High School in northeast Ohio and extra police were present at the school after superintendent Alex G. Geordan told students any walk out “may result in disciplinary actions.”“We struggle with the thought of them leaving their buildings on a well-advertised day and time and may be inadvertently placing themselves in danger should they elect to participate,” Geordan said in a letter dated March 8th.However, school administration provided an inside space for students who wanted to participated in the Parkland shooting anniversary. According to Geordan, many of the students were absent due to, “the panic (being) incited on social (media) as well as in the local news.”(Reporting by Kim Palmer)
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"We watched the NRA just become one of the most powerful entities on the planet...it is key to take down the NRA as it operates currently...this generation, they’ll be the ones to do it,” said Holly Hardman, who came out with her daughter in support of a walkout in Manhattan.(Reporting by Alice Popovici in New York)
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As the stream of students heading to the Capitol stretched for at least 10 blocks down Pennsylvania Avenue, with at least one on a skateboard, Nathan Messer, a 16-year-old junior at Bethseda-Chevy Chase High School in Maryland, said school violence had become too important an issue to stay silent any more.“We have to change things, we just can’t keep having these kids die,” he said. “I’d rather do this than sit back and do nothing.”(Reporting by Ian Simpson)
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