To commemorate the death of 17-year-old Trayvon Martin on this date one year ago, a rally will be held on the steps of the Georgia State Capitol Tuesday to bring attention to proposed gun violence prevention legislation. Rally organizers say the events are scheduled to begin at 5 p.m.
Community and political leaders from around Atlanta will speak on behalf of the bill and representatives from a number of schools and local organizations will also be present in support.
Among those scheduled to appear are representatives from the NAACP, Georgia Federation of Teachers, Lucia McBath (mother of Jordan Davis, the teen reportedly killed over loud music), State Sen. Vincent Fort (D-39th District), Sen. Nan Orrock (D-Atlanta), Organizing for Action, Southern Regional AFLCIO, iCAN: Intercollegiate Action Network, CWA Local 3204 and Student Government Association representatives from Morehouse College, Spelman College, Clark-Atlanta University, Interdenominational Theological Center, Valdosta State University, Oglethorpe University, Georgia Institute of Technology, Georgia State University.
Fort, one of the rally’s organizers, is pushing for stricter laws that he says will curb gun violence in the United States, including a ban on assault weapons, limits on ammunition and magazine clips and restricted use of the “stand your ground” law that has been so controversial in Martin’s case and is expected to be used in the case of McBath’s son, Jordan Davis.
“We are responding to what we feel is the public’s increased awareness and interest in the issue of gun safety,” Fort told WXIA. “We think too many young people, too many children are dying. When legislators and politicians ought to be standing up for them.”
The rally will be held on the steps of the Georgia State Capitol in Atlanta. The event is being dubbed a Rally for Common Sense Gun Violence Prevention Measures.
A rally following Martin’s death last year brought thousands out to the capitol last year. Organizers of this year’s event say they are expecting similar numbers.
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