Thousands gather in US to demand greater gun control

Tens of thousands of people demonstrated on Saturday in Parkland, Florida, where a February 14 school shooting left 17 people dead, to demand greater gun control legislation.

According to media reports, at least 20,000 people gathered in Pine Trail park, around two miles from Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, where former student Nikolas Cruz, 19, killed 14 students and three teachers with an assault rifle.

The students, parents and other members of this South Florida community attending the demonstration were united in their call, chanting "enough is enough", Efe reported.

Speaking at the rally, Marjory Stoneman Douglas student Samantha Mayor, who was shot in the leg during the incident, said "change was due before 17 lives were brutally taken from such innocent souls."

Mayor and other fellow students paid tribute to those who were killed during the shooting and urged lawmakers to pass responsible gun control legislation.

Casey Sherman, another student who survived the shooting, said that those 17 people did not die in vain, pointing to the #NeverAgain movement that emerged in Parkland and Saturday's demonstrations, which, according to organizers, have taken place in 844 different locations in the United States and abroad.

Tony Montalto, father of Gina Montalto, one of the victims, said "the only way to get the change we are demanding here today is for both political parties to stop blaming each other and come together for an agreement."

"We need action," he said, while acknowledging recent gun control legislation approved in Florida.

After the Parkland shooting, the Florida Legislature passed a bill increasing the minimum age to buy firearms from 18 to 21 and imposing a three-day waiting period on gun purchases

The law, however, does not include a ban on the sale of assault rifles, as was demanded by many students, parents and Democratic lawmakers.

Several other gun control demonstrations are being held in Florida, including in Miami Beach, Palm Beach and Boca Raton, were at least 4,000 people gathered, chanting slogans against the National Rifle Association.

--IANS

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