Exactly one month after the deadly school shooting in Parkland, Florida, thousands of students collectively left their classrooms to send a powerful message to U.S. lawmakers: We’ve had enough.
At 10 a.m. Wednesday, youth from across the country participated in a walkout that lasted 17 minutes—one minute per each life that was lost at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School last month. The nationwide demonstration aimed to highlight the government’s lack of action on U.S. gun reform and its unwillingness to protect citizens from gun violence.
“What we saw today inspired us. On Valentine’s Day, we hid in classrooms, in closets, while 17 of our fellow Eagles were brutally murdered, and 17 more were injured,” walkout organizers wrote on the March for Our Lives website. “[…] Communities across this country walked out of classrooms to send one message – Enough. We have seen enough senseless gun violence; we have lived in fear too long. We have buried too many heroes. We demand better. Today was wonderful. Today was important. Today was historical.”
The day was also emotional, as shown by the countless videos and photos that flooded social media on the day of the walkout. For many, seeing children come together for an important and potentially life-saving cause instilled a sense of hope for the nation’s future.
In honor of the kids' inspiring action, here's some of the most powerful and memorable moments of Wednesday walkouts. You can check them out below.
