Charleston students host second annual March for Our Lives

CHARLESTON, SC (WCSC) - The second annual March For our Lives event brought out many who say they’re begging for less fear in their day to day lives.

The original event was sparked by the school shooting in Parkland Fl. last February where 17 students were shot and killed. Dozens of events around the country were held in wake of that to show that students want change to feel protected in schools.

The Holy City is no stranger to the tragedy of mass shootings. In June 2015, Dylann Roof shot and killed nine people at Mother Emanuel A.M.E. Church. Due to the closeness of this tragic situation hitting so close to home, students like middle-schooler Bella Wallen say they are afraid.

“I just have this constant feeling something bad will happen to me or my friends,” Wallen says.

She says she’s afraid her school could be the next active shooter headline if gun laws don’t change., and she isn’t the only one at the Riverfront Park event that says the same thing.

Jacob Gamble, the event organizer and the Chief Strategist for the Lowcountry Students for Political Action group says living in fear isn’t fair.

“The feeling of not being safe in school, where I should be, it’s a place to learn not a place to hide from shooter,” Gamble says.

During the event, supporters of common-sense gun law banded together for a time of inspiration. Several South Carolina speakers reinforcing the need for change. Emanuel A.M.E Church Rev. Eric Manning, Congressmen Jim Clyburn and Joe Cunningham, and various student political advocates all spoke at the rally.

“We cannot do that if we are wondering where the next bullet is coming from,” Clyburn says.

“This does not have to be normal we can’t make it normal,” Cunningham added.

Many who attended say the March for Our Lives movement isn’t just one day, it’s a fight that should be continued every day in every walk of life.

“I think we are on the right side of history. We need to push forward,” Gamble says.

These advocates say they will continue to speak up for what they believe in until change happens at the federal or even state level.

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