Barack Obama says he is inspired by the ‘smart, fearless’ students who have been protesting gun laws in the wake of the Florida high school massacre.
The former president tweeted his praise of the student activists on Thursday – one day after thousands of teenagers across the country walked out of their classrooms to protest gun violence and honor the victims of last week’s deadly shooting.
‘Young people have helped lead all our great movements,’ Obama said.
‘How inspiring to see it again in so many smart, fearless students standing up for their right to be safe; marching and organizing to remake the world as it should be.
‘We’ve been waiting for you. And we’ve got your backs.’
Barack Obama says he is inspired by the ‘smart, fearless’ students who have been protesting gun laws in the wake of the Florida high school massacre
The former president tweeted his praise of the thousands of student activists on Thursday
In a wave of demonstrations stretching across the US, students participated in mass walk outs on Wednesday exactly a week on from when 17 people were killed at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland.
Many lasted 17 minutes in honor of the 17 massacre victims.
Thousands of students, including massacre survivors, also converged on Florida’s Capitol to ramp up the pressure on lawmakers to enact tougher gun control measures.
Obama’s tweet came after his wife Michelle had said that she was in ‘total awe’ of the teen activists.
‘I’m in total awe of the extraordinary students in Florida,’ the former first lady tweeted on Wednesday.
Thousands of students, including massacre survivors, also converged on Florida’s Capitol to ramp up the pressure on lawmakers to enact tougher gun control measures
Barack Obama’s tweet came after his wife Michelle had said on Wednesday that she was in ‘total awe’ of the teen activists
Former first lady said her and Obama were behind the student activists ‘every step of the way’
‘Like every movement for progress in our history, gun reform will take unyielding courage and endurance.
‘But @barackobama and I believe in you, we’re proud of you, and we’re behind you every step of the way.’
Students angry over the most recent mass school shooting have been calling for changes to gun laws, a ban on assault-type weapons and improved care for the mentally ill.
Several hundred people protested outside of the Florida House of Representatives while lawmakers were in session on Wednesday.
The protesters were upset that the Republican-controlled chamber refused to take up a measure a day earlier that would have banned assault rifles and large capacity magazines.
The crowd burst into chants of ‘vote them out’ and ‘we’re students united, we’ll never be divided.’
About 2,000 students, parents and teachers gathered outside Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School on Wednesday to protest gun laws a week after the tragedy
Millbrook High School students demonstrate against gun violence outside their school in Frederick County, Virigina
Students and their chaperones from Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, wearing blue t-shirts, stand in the gallery above the Florida Senate as the Senate holds a moment of silence to honour the victims of last week’s mass shooting
Lobbyists and attorneys listen as student survivors from Marjory Stoneman Douglas High interrupt a house legislative committee hearing in Tallahassee on Wednesday
At a town hall meeting held by CNN in Sunrise, Florida, on Wednesday night, thousands of angry students, teachers and parents booed Republican Senator Marco Rubio when he indicated that he would not support an assault-weapons ban.
They also booed a spokeswoman from the NRA when she said the answer was not to ban weapons but to ensure they stay out of the hands of the mentally ill.
When another politician said he supported raising the age to buy assault-style weapons to 21 from 18, the students broke into applause.
Florida politicians have rebuffed gun restrictions since Republicans took control of both the governor’s office and the Legislature in 1999.
Saying the tragedy at the high school was ‘completely unavoidable,’ Republican legislative leaders say they will consider legislation that will likely call for raising the age limit to purchase a rifle in Florida and increasing funding for mental health programs and school-resource officers, the police assigned to specific schools.