- Press Release
1,100 Body Bags on the National Mall Show the Cost of Federal Inaction on Gun Violence
Share
Despite one of the largest youth protest movements in history, Congress’ failure to pass federal gun safety legislation has allowed the gun violence epidemic to soar. 170,000 people have died from guns since the Parkland tragedy. Young people won’t back down until DC takes action.
Washington, D.C. — Thursday, March, 24th, marked the four-year anniversary of the March For Our Lives, which brought millions of people across the country and around the world to demand action on the deadly gun violence epidemic. Activists with the March For Our Lives arranged over 1,100 body bags on the National Mall, facing the US Capitol, spelling out the words “Thoughts and Prayers” in a massive art installation to demand action on gun safety legislation. Each body bag represents the approximately 170,000 people who have died from guns in this country since 2018.
In the wake of the school shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, young people marched to call out the utter failure of adults to protect us from gun violence and demand that common-sense gun safety legislation is passed.
Since then, adults have offered little more than thoughts and prayers. Despite securing a gun-safety majority in both chambers of Congress and a pro-gun violence prevention President, not a single piece of meaningful legislation has been passed to protect our constitutional right not to be shot. Young people are once again back in D.C. to share a clear and simple message to Congress and the President: you are responsible for these deaths. We await their response.