March For Our Lives Underway Washington D.C. as Thousands Gather

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The student-run demonstration is calling for stricter gun-control law.

Survivors of the Parkland shooting, along with thousands of others gathered in Washington Saturday for March for Our Lives, a demonstration calling for stricter gun laws.

The student survivors of from Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, where 17 people were shot and killed on Valentine’s Day, lead a march down Pennsylvania Avenue to the White House at 12 p.m.

The group is hoping their march will push Congress and the president to pass a comprehensive gun-control bill that will improve school safety.

The march had 20 speakers and performances by Ariana Grande, Common, Miley Cyrus, Lin-Manuel Miranda,  and Jennifer Hudson among others.

Hudson gave a powerful performance to close out the rally.

"Put down the weapons and change your heart. Yeah, I cry from the heart, y'all because I want to have some change," Hudson sang.

Sister protests took place in multiple cities, including New York and Los Angeles.

Emma Gonzalez, one of the main organizers from Stoneman Douglas, told MSNBC that there were more than 800 marches occurring across the country.

"We're so psyched, this is the coolest thing that could've happened and even Antarctica is going to have a march," Gonzalez said.

Gonzalez speech at the rally was six minutes and 20 seconds, the same length of time as the Parkland shooting. After calling out 17 names, Gonzalez led a long moment of silence before speaking again.

"Since the time that I came out here, it has been 6 minutes and 20 seconds, the shooter has ceased shooting and will soon abandon his rifle and blend in with the students so he can walk free for an hour before arrest," González said

She ended her speech with, "fight for your lives before it is someone else's job."

The White House released a statement Saturday.

"We applaud the many courageous young Americans exercising their First Amendment rights today,” White House deputy press secretary Lindsay Walters said in a statement.

President Trump is in Mar-A-Lago for the weekend.

The march comes on the heels of a 17-minute walkout by students across the U.S. calling for stricter gun laws earlier this month.

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