Nationwide School Walkout for Gun Control
School children across America walk out of lessons to commemorate those who have died in gun violence and to push for a better future
Magnum Photographers
One month to the day after the murder of 17 people at the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, FL, by a gunman, school children and staff across America walked out of lessons to demand better gun laws. The attack—the deadliest U.S. school shooting since 2012—has sparked a wave of activism, with protesters urging Congress to implement a ban on assault weapons, and universal background checks for buying guns. The suspected shooter, Nikolas Cruz, was reportedly able to carry out the attack with a legally purchased AR-15 gun, despite the fact authorities had received warnings about his erratic behavior and threats to kill people.
The country-wide walk-out saw pupils leave class for 17 minutes, one for each of the lives lost at Parkland, holding signs that expressed heartfelt solidarity with victims and demanded change. “Fear has no place in our school,” and “books not bullets” read signs at Analy High School in Sebastopol in Northern California, photographed by Alessandra Sanguinetti. “F**K the NRA,” read a sign held by a student outside Brooklyn Tech High School in Fort Greene, photographed by Peter van Agtmael.
