FAIRFAX, Va. (AP/WSVN) — Hundreds of gun-control protesters have been joined by survivors of the Stoneman Douglas school shooting at a rally outside National Rifle Association headquarters.
Family members of those killed at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in February addressed the crowd during Saturday afternoon’s “National March on NRA” rally in Fairfax. The protest shut down a portion of the road outside NRA headquarters.
“Everyone says, ‘Give it time. It’s going to get easier.’ That’s a lie. It doesn’t get easier. Every day is a new reminder of what we lost,'” said Fred Guttenberg, who lost his daughter Jamie Guttenberg in the shooting.
Police kept protesters and counterprotesters, some of whom were armed, separated during the rally.
“We don’t think that any of the proposals that the kids are presenting would do anything to stop future mass killings,” said Paul Brockman of the Patriot Ticket.
March organizers called on the Internal Revenue Service to revoke the NRA’s tax-exempt status and to stop access to downloadable blueprints for 3D-printed guns.
“Today, on August 4, 2018, we march on the NRA for common sense gun laws and the intention to save lives,” said one marcher.
During the event, marchers also took the time to sing “Happy Birthday” to Joaquin Oliver, one of the victims of the Parkland shooting. Saturday would have been his 18th birthday.
Oliver’s father painted a mural — with the words “We demand to blow out our candles.”
Similar rallies were held across the countries in places like Denver and Los Angeles.
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