The convoy of empty school buses represented more than 4,000 kids killed by gunmen since 2020.
A somber, mile-long procession of yellow buses, all of them empty save for treasures belonging to children killed in school shootings, filed past the Texas home and office of conservative Republican Sen. Ted Cruz on Thursday.
The 52 childless school buses would normally hold 4,368 kids, the same number of young lives lost to gun violence in America since 2020.
The convoy was named "The NRA Children's Museum" and was draped in black funeral bunting. It was the latest protest against school shootings by the gun control advocacy group Change the Ref.
The organization was founded by Manuel Oliver, who interrupted President Joe Biden earlier this week during a speech on gun control, and his wife, Patricia. Their son, Joaquin, was one of 17 killed in the 2018 Parkland school massacre.
Inside the first bus were beloved belongings of the young murder victims.
A black-and-white checkered pair of well-worn sneakers from 15-year-old Gracie Muehlberger, mowed down by a fellow student at a California high school in 2019.
A kindergarten graduation card sporting a smiling teddy bear and a threadbare set of tiny red mittens from Chase Kowalski; who was 7 when he was shot to death in the Sandy Hook Elementary School mass murder of 2012.
And a LeBron James Miami Heat jersey adored by Joaquin Oliver.
His father, riding in the bus, stopped and got out at Cruz's Houston home, where he hand-delivered a letter written to gunowners by his son.
It was dated February 12, 2013, nearly five years to the day before he was shot to death on Valentine's Day 2018.
"Most of you have a problem with the idea of a universal back round (sic) check. Why are you mad that there's a back round (sic]) check it's for your own good maybe you are fond of having crazy people with death machines," Joaquin wrote. He was 12 years old.
In a statement, his father's organization said politicians were part of the gun violence problem, referring to Texas senators and representatives who have received more than $14 million in contributions from the gun lobby, according to the nonprofit group OpenSecrets.
"This is only the beginning," Oliver said. "We will not stop with Sen. Ted Cruz. To every politician who has stood by, taken NRA money, and refused to listen to the people they represent: the museum is on the way to honor you next."
Cruz did not publicly acknowledge Thursday's event.
On Friday, the senator posted a Twitter video in which he claimed children were being assaulted at the U.S. border with Mexico.
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