Today, March 14, is National Walkout Day. At 10:00 a.m., schools spanning the nation and across time zones participated in a demonstration that lasted for 17 minutes — one minute for every victim of the Parkland shooting which occurred exactly one month ago today.
Schools from NYC to Texas took part in the #Enough! National Walkout meant to bring awareness to school safety issues and call on Congress to enforce stricter gun laws.
Students, we are with you.
Today you can take more than one important step towards letting the world know what’s important to you.
Text “Register” to rtvote and make your voice heard in November.#NationalWalkoutDay #Enough pic.twitter.com/ofXm93HYl4
— Rock the Vote (@RockTheVote) March 14, 2018
Organizers of the nationwide protest, Women’s March Youth Empower, also want to bring people to the polls. “Walking out is just one of many ways to take action,” their website reads. If you are not registered to vote, they’re calling on you to do something about it: “Use the 17-minute walkout to make sure you and your classmates are registered to vote! Text P2P to RTVOTE (788683).” For more important information about National Walkout Day, visit the Women’s March Youth Empower website.
Watch students turn their backs on the White House on National Walkout Day
Students, teachers and their supporters in the Washington, D.C. area participated in a chilling moment of silence for 17 minutes on National Walkout Day. They bowed their heads, held their signs steady and turned their backs on the White House. Literally:
WATCH: In Washington, D.C., studetns turn their backs on the White House and hold 17 mins. of silence in honor of the students killed at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High#NationalWalkoutDay pic.twitter.com/wToZRDLyHw
— MSNBC (@MSNBC) March 14, 2018
Here’s more footage:
Students protesting gun violence, in front of the White House. Listen to the silence. pic.twitter.com/2ViDlJb0HX
— Jeff Mason (@jeffmason1) March 14, 2018
Moment of silence in DC. Hundreds of students giving their backs to the White House #NationalWalkoutDay @MSNBC @NBCNews pic.twitter.com/hfYBlre6pm
— Mariana_Atencio (@marianaatencio) March 14, 2018
Leading up to this demonstration, students rallied outside the White House with a message that was loud and clear: Gun control.
Students rallying outside the White House: “What do we want?”
“Gun control!”
“When do we want it?”
“NOW!” pic.twitter.com/9BctlTZSmS— Christal Hayes (@Journo_Christal) March 14, 2018
But when the clock struck 10:00 a.m., they turned their backs and fell silent.
Students protest with backs turned to @WhiteHouse. #NationalWalkoutDay https://t.co/CYwD9qyzVq pic.twitter.com/Zyb9shdPZn
— Fox News (@FoxNews) March 14, 2018
Though the National Walkout was 17 minutes, the fight for stricter gun laws and safer schools is ongoing. And it’s a force.
