‘March for Our Lives’ Live Blog: ‘Don’t I Deserve to Grow Up?’

Students from Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Florida, the scene of a mass shooting Feb. 14, have been joined by hundreds of thousands as they march in a nationwide protest demanding sensible gun control laws. More than 800 protests are occurring, in every American state. About 20 speakers—all of them students—are speaking to the huge crowd in Washington, D.C.

The march follows a nationwide student walkout earlier this month. Another walkout is planned for April 20, the 19th anniversary of the mass shooting at Columbine High School in Colorado.

Truthdig’s Michael Nigro and Clara Romeo are reporting from the main march in Washington, D.C., and Stoneman Douglas alumna Lauren Goldenberg is covering the sibling march in Los Angeles.

Scroll down to see Truthdig’s live multimedia updates.

2:30 p.m. PDT: Many celebrities have gathered at the L.A. sibling march to give motivational speeches and performances. Actress and activist Laura Dern and her daughter, seventh-grade student Jaya Harper, are among them.

“School shootings: Those two words should have nothing in common,” Harper said.

At the Los Angeles #MarchForOurLives, actress/activist @LauraDern and her daughter, 7th grader Jaya Harper gave a moving speech. (video captured by @lauren_bylauren) #NeverAgain#MarchForOurLivesLApic.twitter.com/s37aB8VNUt

— Truthdig (@Truthdig) March 24, 2018

Goldenberg also spoke with a fellow Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School alumnus at the Los Angeles march:

#MSD alumnus Shane Fedderman talks with fellow alumnus @lauren_bylauren at the #MarchForOurLivesLA #MarchForOurLives #NeverAgain pic.twitter.com/O4MJKrriim

— Truthdig (@Truthdig) March 25, 2018

2:00 p.m. PDT: Clara Romeo captured this video of thousands chanting “Vote them out!” at the D.C. march:

Hundreds of thousands chant “vote them out” at the #MarchForOurLives. Watch out incumbent #republicans– the people have spoken and they have had enough. Check out our #liveblog for full coverage of the rally. https://t.co/UdEXuFkQ1fpic.twitter.com/1vvDKTsUsL

— Truthdig (@Truthdig) March 24, 2018

1:00 p.m. PDT: Tens of thousands showed up for the sibling march in downtown Los Angeles.

Student Jessica Flaum said, “When I saw these Parkland students standing up, and people were really listening to them, it felt like this time was different, that something was going to change, and the fact that it was student-led really inspired me to get involved.”

Photo credit: Lauren Goldenberg

12:30 p.m. PDT: Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida, where Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School is situated, issued a statement urging the protesters to find common ground with their opponents.

“While protests are a legitimate way of making a point, in our system of government, making a change requires finding common ground with those who hold opposing views,” he said.

Noon PDT: Clara Romeo reports that the crowd remains strong at the D.C. march.

Clara Romeo / Truthdig

Clara Romeo / Truthdig

11:40 a.m. PDT: Emma Gonzalez, a Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School student and a leading voice in the #NeverAgain movement, led a moment of silence at the D.C. march that lasted for the amount of time it took the Parkland shooter to fatally gun down 17 people.

She said, “Since the time that I came out here, it has been 6 minutes and 20 seconds, the shooter has ceased shooting and will soon abandon his rifle and blend in with the students so he can walk free for an hour before arrest. Fight for your lives before it is someone else’s job.”

11:30 a.m. PDT: Matthew Soto, 19-year-old brother of a Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting victim, addressed the crowd in D.C.: “We do not have to wait for others to make us safe, he said. “We must do it ourselves. … It is our time to stand up. Register to vote. Bring power to the polls. Our lives are not more important than a gun.”

11:00 a.m. PDT: Christopher Underwood, an 11-year-old from Brooklyn who lost his brother to gun violence, spoke during the Washington event:

“My brother survived for 14 days and died on his 15th birthday, July 10, 2012. At that time, I was only 5 years old,” he said. “Senseless gun violence took away my childhood and nothing in my life was ever the same because I no longer have my best friend. Losing my brother gave me the courage to be a voice for my generation. … I would like to not worry about dying, and focus on math and science and playing basketball with my friends. Don’t I deserve to grow up?”

10:40 a.m. PDT: Yolanda Renee King, the 9-year-old granddaughter of Martin Luther King Jr. and Coretta Scott King, took the podium at the D.C. march.

“My grandfather had a dream that his four little children would not be judged by the color of their skin, but by their character,” she said. “I have a dream that enough is enough, and that this should be a gun-free world, period.”

Then she led a chant: “Spread the word/ Have you heard?/ All across the nation./ We are going to be/ a great generation.”

10:00 a.m. PDT: Former President Barack Obama tweeted his support of the nationwide march.

“Michelle and I are so inspired by all the young people who made today’s marches happen. Keep at it. You’re leading us forward. Nothing can stand in the way of millions of voices calling for change,” he wrote.

Michelle and I are so inspired by all the young people who made today’s marches happen. Keep at it. You’re leading us forward. Nothing can stand in the way of millions of voices calling for change.

— Barack Obama (@BarackObama) March 24, 2018

9:30 a.m. PDT: While counterprotests are visible, most of those at the D.C. march are children, teens and families demanding gun safety.

Clara Romeo / Truthdig

Clara Romeo / Truthdig

9:00 a.m. PDT: Clara Romeo reports that counterprotesters have gathered in the District of Columbia’s Chinatown, advocating for broader interpretations of the Second Amendment. The New York Times reports that counterprotests in support of gun rights are planned in cities including Salt Lake City, Greenville, S.C., and Helena, Mont.

4:00 a.m. PDT: Organizers’ estimates for the number of demonstrators in the nation’s capital have climbed gradually toward a million.

Michael Nigro / Truthdig

 

Erin Schaff of The Associated Press offers a live stream of the march below:

 

Michael Nigro / Truthdig

Michael Nigro / Truthdig

 

The night before the march, Lauren Goldenberg spoke on Twitter on the significance of marching as an alumna of Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School:

Lauren Goldenberg is a proud alumna of #MSD. She is supporting the #MarchForOurLives as an activist and has a message to share. pic.twitter.com/mzVoTAQ1H3

— Truthdig (@Truthdig) March 24, 2018