Thousands join anti-gun rally in Florida

Young survivors of the Florida school shooting have gathered at a massive rally to demand changes to the nation’s gun laws.

Thousands joined the rally on Saturday at the federal court house in Fort Lauderdale, some 25 miles from where 17 people were shot and killed Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School this week. 

Students from the high school spoke passionately during the rally, pleading with lawmakers to change the nation’s gun laws.

One teen, Emma Gonzalez, angrily criticized politicians who take campaign contributions from the National Rifle Association, and challenged them to stop taking money.

She also said adults who knew that the shooter was mentally ill should have done more to prevent him from having a weapon.

‘No more guns, no more guns!’ the crowd began chanting at points. 

Other speakers demanded a ban on ‘assault weapons’. Shooter Nikolas Cruz used an AR-15-style semi-automatic rifle that he purchased legally a year ago to kill 17 on Wednesday. 

Meanwhile, state lawmakers in Florida have just three weeks left in their annual 60-day session and normally are trying to wrap up work on a new state budget in the final days.

But the shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland has revived an ongoing legislative debate about how to respond to gun violence.

A speaker addresses the crowd at the rally on Saturday. She said it was maddening that lawmakers had taken no action after Sandy Hook, and said this time would be different

Democrats want the Legislature to take up gun control bills that have languished again this year, but Republican legislative leaders are talking about boosting mental health programs in Florida’s public schools as well as considering measures that would bolster safety on school campuses.

Governor Rick Scott has said he plans to talk to legislative leaders in the coming week about what could be done to make it harder for people who are mentally ill to purchase a gun.