March For Our Lives May Have Had a Bigger Turnout in DC Than Women’s March, Trump’s Inauguration
The March For Our Lives rallies descended onto cities across the country Saturday, with millions of Americans and survivors of gun violence taking to the streets to demand common sense gun laws and stricter measures in purchasing firearms.
In Washington D.C., organizers of the march estimated nearly 800,000 people participated in the event throughout the capitol. For comparison, that’s far more than the size of President Donald Trump’s crowd at his inauguration in 2016 — there were only an estimated 160,000 people near the National Mall that day, the New York Times reported.
Meanwhile, the Women’s March reportedly had an estimated 470,000 in attendance in D.C.
The media spotlight has been fixated on the student survivors of the Parkland massacre in February, after 17 people were killed inside Marjory Stoneman Douglas high school in Florida. But those newfound activists have been using that light to reflect on gun violence throughout all communities in the U.S., including Chicago, where shootings typically go unreported in national news coverage.
“When you have a president that would rather constantly talk about and belittle Chicago’s violence rather than send funds and resources, you have gun violence,” said 19-year-old Trevon Bosley, whose brother was shot and killed on his way to church in 2006. “It’s time for the nation to realize gun violence is more than just a Chicago problem or Parkland problem but an America problem.”
Those marching received messages of support from lawmakers and celebrities alike, including former President Barack Obama and former First Lady Michelle Obama.
“Michelle and I are so inspired by all the young people who made today’s marches happen,” Obama tweeted Saturday. “Keep at it. You’re leading us forward. Nothing can stand in the way of millions of voices calling for change.”
[image via screengrab]
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