Mar 19, 2018

Scoop: Saturday gun marches will blanket U.S.

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Students protest gun violence at a rally at the Prospect Park Bandshell in Brooklyn following the National School Walkout last week. Photo: Erik McGregor / Pacific Press / LightRocket via Getty Images

On Saturday, in conjunction with the Florida students’ #NeverAgain march in D.C., teen organizers will hold 700 other marches across the country, covering 387 congressional districts in all 50 states.

The scope: Marches will be held in the biggest cities — New York, L.A., Chicago, Denver and Atlanta — and also small towns, according to Everytown for Gun Safety, which is providing grants and guidance to local organizers.

  • The latest count is 819 marches: 725 are in the U.S., and 94 abroad. (Search here by country, city or post code.)
  • The solidarity marches are being organized partly by students, with speaking roles largely going to teens and survivors of gun violence.
  • The events will include a big voter-registration push.
  • In addition to marches and rallies, advocates will hold musical performances, poetry readings and moments of silence.

John Feinblatt — president of Everytown for Gun Safety, founded by former New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg — told me this is the “mass-shooting generation” that’s mobilizing:

  • “We’re witnessing a fearless group of determined students all over the country with a unifying message: ‘You’re the adults. Protect us.’”

Behind the curtain: The group is offering local organizers a PDF "tool kit" that includes downloadable graphics, sample Facebook and Instagram posts, a draft press release, and talking points for a rally speech or media interviews.

The handbook's social-media advice includes ... "What to post: Photos of the march ... Fun or poignant march signs ... Photos of the crowd to show scale."

  • "Be sure your tweets and instagram posts all use the hashtag #MarchForOurLives."
  • "Tag @AMarch4OurLives, @Everytown, @MomsDemand, and @GiffordsCourage in your photo and video posts so that we can find your content and amplify it."

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