US gun violence protests: Tens of thousands of high school students stage mass walkout in solidarity with Florida shooting victims

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Martin Coulter14 March 2018

Tens of thousands of students across the US have staged a mass walkout against gun violence.

Close to 3,000 demonstrations took place on Wednesday, in the biggest example of student activism yet in the wake of the Florida school shooting.

Participants stepped out of their classrooms for 17 minutes in honour of the victims of the Valentine's Day massacre at Marjory Stoneman Douglas high school last month.

The protests have drawn mixed reactions from school administrators. While some applaud students for taking a stand, others threatened discipline.

Students at Philadelphia High School of Creative And Performing Arts
Getty Images

In Washington, thousands of students gathered on Pennsylvania Avenue in front of the White House, holding colourful signs and cheering in support of gun control.

Students chanted: "Hey, hey, ho, ho. The NRA has got to go!" and "What do we want? Gun control! When do we want it? Now!"

President Donald Trump was travelling in Los Angeles and not in the White House during the demonstrations.

Students from local schools gather at Zuccotti Park in lower Manhattan
Getty Images

Meanwhile in Ohio, West Liberty-Salem high school students were threatened with disciplinary action, telling them "school campus is not the place for political demonstrations".

In North Carolina, students held a discussion on gun violence where many could be seen sporting T-shirts with the phrase "#Enough'.

Police patrolled outside Kell high school in Atlanta, where students were threatened with unspecified consequences if they took part in the walkout.

TV network Viacom suspended broadcasting on all its channels - including MTV and Nickelodeon - for 17 minutes in solidarity with the protests.

Mr Trump recently rowed back on promises to increase the legal age to buy firearms from 18 to 21, pushing forward plans to "arm the teachers" to widespread criticism.

Additional reporting by the Press Association

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