ladbible logo

To make sure you never miss out on your favourite NEW stories, we're happy to send you some reminders

Click 'OK' then 'Allow' to enable notifications

Parkland Survivor Emma Gonzales Pays Tearful Tribute At March For Our Lives

Parkland Survivor Emma Gonzales Pays Tearful Tribute At March For Our Lives

The student, gun-control activist and survivor of the Parkland shooting in Florida, touched crowds as she took to the stage.

Paddy Maddison

Paddy Maddison

Emma Gonzalez, a student, gun-control activist and survivor of the Parkland shooting in Florida, touched crowds as she took to the stage at the March for Our Lives rally.

Gonzalez read out the names of the victims one-by-one and then stood in silence during a speech which lasted six minutes and 20 seconds - the same amount of time during which gunman Nikolas Cruz subjected the staff and students at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School to a brutal assault, leaving 17 dead and many more injured.

"Six minutes and about 20 seconds," she said.

"In a little over six minutes, 17 of our friends were taken from us, 15 were injured and everyone in the Douglas community was forever altered.

PA

PA

"Everyone who was there understands. Everyone who has been touched by the cold grip of gun violence understands. For us, long, tearful, chaotic hours in the scorching afternoon sun were spent not knowing. No one understood the extent of what had happened.

"No one could believe that there were bodies in that building waiting to be identified for over a day. No one knew that the people who were missing had stopped breathing long before any of us had even known that a code red had been called."

Gonzalez then read aloud the names of those who lost their lives in the shooting, while reciting all the things they would never be able to do.

She then stood in silence until a timer went off at four minutes and 25 seconds.

"Since the time that I came out here," she said, "it has been 6 minutes and 20 seconds. The shooter has ceased shooting and will soon abandon his rifle, blend in with the students as they escape and walk free for an hour before arrest.

"Fight for your lives before it's someone else's job," she said, and left the stage.

The March For Our Lives movement started when campaigning by Parkland students gained widespread support.

Gonzalez, one of the most outspoken figures, gained more than a million Twitter followers in a matter of just a few weeks.

Survivors of other shootings have since joined the movement with the aim of changing gun-control legislation and have been backed by many high-profile figures, including celebrities and politicians.

Some protestors were frustrated and disappointed that president Donald Trump, who is currently at his holiday resort in Florida for the weekend, did not tweet a message of support during the protests.

Featured Image Credit: PA

Topics: News, US