Thousands of demonstrators descended on Washington and across the United States on Saturday, calling on lawmakers to pass legislation aimed at curbing gun violence following last month's massacre at a Texas elementary school.
People display placards during the second March for Our Lives rally in support of gun control, Saturday, 11 June, 2022, in Washington.Thousands of demonstrators descended on Washington and across the United States on Saturday, calling on lawmakers to pass legislation aimed at curbing gun violence following last month's massacre at a Texas elementary school.
US President Joe Biden, a Democrat who earlier this month urged Congress to ban assault weapons, expand background checks and implement other gun control measures, said he supported Saturday's protests. "We are being murdered," said X Gonzalez, a Parkland survivor and co-founder of MFOL, in an emotional speech in which they appeared with survivors of other mass shootings. "You, Congress, have done nothing to prevent it."
In recent weeks, a bipartisan group of Senate negotiators have vowed to hammer out a deal, though they have yet to reach an agreement. Their effort is focused on relatively modest changes, such as incentivising states to pass "red flag" laws that allow authorities to keep guns from individuals deemed a danger to others.
Other speakers at the Washington rally included David Hogg, another Parkland survivor and co-founder of MFOL; Becky Pringle and Randi Weingarten, the presidents of the two largest US teachers unions; and Muriel Bowser, the mayor of Washington, DC Members of MFOL have spent the week meeting with lawmakers in Washington to discuss gun violence.
Australia Latest News, Australia Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
‘Enough is enough’: thousands rally across US in gun control protestsThe March for Our Lives rallies come after mass shootings in Uvalde, Texas and Buffalo, New York
Read more »
Pro-choice militants are targeting ‘pregnancy crisis centers’ across USExperts say that no matter how righteous, extremist protests are risky: they may turn people against the cause
Read more »
Pro-choice militants are targeting ‘pregnancy crisis centers’ across USExperts say that no matter how righteous, extremist protests are risky: they may turn people against the cause
Read more »
Punishing heatwave expected across the US south-west this weekendModels indicate that there could be between 25 and 30 extreme events a year by mid-century
Read more »
A woman missing since being orphaned by unsolved killings has been found after four decadesAfter a decades-long search by members of her biological family, a US grandmother learns that her parents were killed in a cold case murder more than 40 years ago.
Read more »
China will ‘start a war’ if Taiwan declares independence, says defence ministerWei Fenghe issues threat at Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore while US defence secretary denounces Beijing’s ‘destabilising’ actions
Read more »