WILMINGTON — At least a thousand local students, along with parents and other supporters, are expected to march to the Federal Courthouse in downtown Wilmington this Saturday.
Marchers will be members of the student-organized March for Our Lives Facebook group, along with members of Wilmington Organizing Wilmington. The event is designed to take place in tandem with the March for Our Lives in Washington, D.C., which will also take place Saturday, March 24.
According to organizers, both marches are direct responses to the Feb. 14 shooting at Majory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla., that killed 17 people, including 14 students.
Student speakers from the group are expected to deliver remarks on the gun control, representing five high schools from Brunswick, New Hanover and Pender counties.
According to Emily Donovan, an organizer who has helped mentor some of the students, the young speakers will address gun control specifics.
“I want to be clear, the students believe in the Second Amendment,” Donovan said. “They do want universal background checks. They do want to see bans on semiautomatic assault rifles. They’re against bump stocks — these are military grade, weapons of war, designed to kill people.”
Donovan added that students would also speak about putting pressure on politicians at the state and national level to enact “meaningful gun reform,” and to encourage those old enough to vote against those who aren’t working towards that end.
According to Donovan, while the march is student organized, it is aimed at “adults, students, people of all age.”
The march will gather on Walnut Street, between Front and Water streets. At 1 p.m. the march will travel south, partially along the Riverwalk to avoid construction, and then down Water Street to the Federal Courthouse steps.
Donovan stressed that those with any mobility issues were welcome to participate, by gathering at the courthouse instead.
