NYC children and teens continue to voice their concerns about gun control.
In the wake of the Parkland, Florida shootings, students across the five boroughs joined a national effort by participating in a school walkout in NYC. A second walkout took place in Washington Square Park only a few weeks later (and some students experienced consequences for participating in the walkout). Now, another effort from the organization Youth Over Guns—in conjunction with other groups—plans to march across the Brooklyn Bridge on Saturday, June 2 at noon in solidarity against the violent acts our country has witnessed.
Those who plan to attend the event will wear orange, as Youth Over Guns notes in its Facebook post. "Orange is a bright, bold color that demands to be seen," it reads. "We demand to be seen, and this march will show communities throughout New York that we stand united to end gun violence." (Even the Empire State Building will light up in orange a day prior on June 1 in honor of National Gun Violence Awareness Day).
In addition to addressing the issue of gun violence in schools, the event will also shed light on gun violence in communities of color, amNY reports. Although summer vacation is on the horizon and the focus of the June 2 event will encompass more than just school violence, parents are still concerned about sending their kids off for the day. According to The New York Post, the NYPD saw an increase in threats against NYC schools, averaging about two per day since September.
In a statement released to Time Out New York Kids, the NYC Department of Education said, "We treat threats with the utmost seriousness, and our close partnership with the NYPD ensures these troubling claims are immediately reported, investigated and addressed. Schools are trained to take appropriate action and are provided with additional safety support when necessary." Parents and students are also encouraged to examine schools' safety operations in the event of an emergency.
New Yorkers big and small have proven time again that they're not going to give up until the violence comes to an end. If you are interested in attending Youth Over Gun's weekend march, you can register here.
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