New project Cutting Class, “counter-info for the ungovernable generation,” presents this roundup of actions that took place on March 14th, which was originally billed as a symbolic day of walkouts that were supposed to last only 17 minutes, and were called for and promoted by the Women’s March, which has largely become an arm of the Democratic Party.
However, in many cities, the walkouts took on a much more confrontational and self-organized character, and some students also faced repression from the police. Some groups of students also issued sets of demands, most of which, had nothing to do with gun control.
Tons of kids cut class yesterday as part of a day of nationwide walkouts against gun violence. Some are walking out for only 17 minutes in memory of the 17 students killed at Stoneman Douglas HS on February 14th. Others have carried out full marches and rallies, taking streets and protesting in front of major symbols of the institutions that prop up the NRA & the militarized gun culture of the U.S. We’ve rounded up a collection of some of the most inspiring shit we’ve seen, including the moments of militancy that go unappreciated by mainstream media outlets.
General/Unknown Location
This poem is for all the people who should have never lost their lives. This poem is for all the people who have had #ENOUGH. This is is for #NationalWalkoutDay pic.twitter.com/r93b0FfZbb
— Evangeline ??️? (@bodieinabasket) March 14, 2018
Student holds sign that says “As a black boy, I hope one I day I have as many rights as a gun.”
Second grader joins high school students in walkout.
These walkouts are more complex than any of our preset ideas. There are students who are making demands about things that have nothing to do with gun control. At the walkout I attended, a young man held up a sign that said "Gun Control Is Not The Answer." They are not pawns.
— Puff the Magic Hater (@MsKellyMHayes) March 14, 2018
School is closed due to snow, kids still hold a rally!
New York City
Stumbled past these NYC kids protesting outside Trump Int'l Hotel as part of #NationalWalkoutDay pic.twitter.com/Ygu47aj6tT
— Meredith Blake (@MeredithBlake) March 14, 2018
"Hey, hey, NRA, how many kids have you killed today?" Kids outside Trump Int'l in NYC this morning. pic.twitter.com/Rj3k1J15KE
— Meredith Blake (@MeredithBlake) March 14, 2018
Students still marching around the block. “End Gun Violence!” #Enough #Students #NationalSchoolWalkout pic.twitter.com/k50R5VVlBN
— Shay Horse (@HuntedHorse) March 14, 2018
Atlanta
Concord, CA
Students from Mount Diablo High School break through a gate to leave campus during a walkout to protest gun violence on Wednesday, March 14, 2018, in Concord, Calif (Aric Crabb/Bay Area News Group)
Chicago
Kenwood students running toward lake shore drive, which some students want to try to shut down. Cops now racing that direction too. pic.twitter.com/FYVoIv3wM1
— Pete Grieve (@pete_grieve) March 14, 2018
Aminah Glenn, a junior at Kenwood Academy, was arrested for participating in #NationalWalkoutDay!
Let her go!!!
Please help get the word out! ? ??
?: @pete_grieve #Chicago pic.twitter.com/JRkPDKbgS8
— Eighteen x 18 (@EighteenX18) March 14, 2018
Later tweets confirmed that several students who were detained by police custody will not face criminal charges. We featured this tweet to highlight the police repression and intimidation of black student protestors in the midst of this movement.
Mariah Monroe, a Kenwood senior, says she’s walking out because unjustified shootings in the black community don’t always get recognized. pic.twitter.com/tmYZlq3EaQ
— Pete Grieve (@pete_grieve) March 14, 2018
More walkout photos from Chicago. The police were displeased with the situation. One cop turned to a crowd of supporters and said, "WHO ORGANIZED THIS?" And I was thinking, "Damn dude, don't you internet?" #NationalSchoolWalkout pic.twitter.com/A4Ro1dmkLP
— Puff the Magic Hater (@MsKellyMHayes) March 14, 2018
Chicago students give list of demands for what they want for their schools and community #NationalWalkoutDay #Enough pic.twitter.com/22oGgElhhP
— Aaron Cynic (@aaroncynic) March 14, 2018
The demands these kids make are way deeper than just gun control–stopping the growth of police, restorative justice, racial equity, and combating economic inequality. Even if you believe their particular demands are liberal, they’re worth listening to and engaging with. Once upon a time, you were a liberal high school student too.
https://twitter.com/ekingc/status/974037224743456768
https://twitter.com/ekingc/status/974038209436020736
Students have marched into City Hall and are doing a sit-in on the 1st floor, more schools reps are speaking about the disinvestment and disregard for Black youth in this city. #nationalwalkoutday #neveragain #NoCopAcademy pic.twitter.com/Fs73weqhXD
— Monica Trinidad (@monicatea2) March 14, 2018
East Palo Alto
So proud of the kids in my community #NationalWalkoutDay #NoMoreGuns pic.twitter.com/wnjeJknNYf
— Talha bin Baqar (@TalhaAtHome) March 14, 2018
New Jersey
Under threat of suspension just one student walked out of Sayreville HS this morning #1010wins. Administrators warned students not to walk out pic.twitter.com/AEEFiThf7O
— glenn schuck (@glennschuck) March 14, 2018
Charottesville
Kops are on a "school safety" panel tonight at @BlackKnightAVID #CHS. After wielding automatic rifles at a student protest AGAINST GUN VIOLENCE. pic.twitter.com/ZEnKypnlFD
— Solidarity Cville (@SolidCville) March 14, 2018
Washington D.C.
Ohio
New Orleans
Ursuline Academy students walk out and join students from Math and Science HS and Lusher HS, rather than attending the school-sanctioned prayer event.
Maryland
Madison, Wisconsin
#NationalWalkoutDay from Madison, WI. pic.twitter.com/3D9Ku7GzST
— ash ˚ * ✹✧ * (@qalaxycth) March 14, 2018
#NationalWalkoutDay Right in front of Governor Scott Walker’s office. We need change NOW. pic.twitter.com/31tLNYEQ9a
— ash ˚ * ✹✧ * (@qalaxycth) March 14, 2018
Minneapolis
During a walkout, student Trump supporter with flag was confronted.
Minneapolis police say no arrests have been made after a student carrying a flag with the word “Trump” on it was assaulted outside of Southwest High School.
Police say the altercation happened while students were outside of the building during National School Walkout Day Wednesday morning.
As students were observing a moment of silence, two students confronted the flag-bearing student across the street from campus.
Six other students joined in the confrontation, taking away his flag, damaging his camera and inflicting minor injuries.
Philadelphia
Student Vision for School Safety March arrives at City Hall #enough#Phillywalkout#truststudentvision#endthewaronyouth pic.twitter.com/YhAE4uHxPX
— Juntos (@Vamos_Juntos_) March 14, 2018
San Francisco
Thousands of #SanFrancisco kids chant "Hey hey! Ho ho! The #NRA has got to go!" followed by #BlackLivesMatter
As those cries echo through our sometimes-foggy downtown, I have never been prouder to be an @SFUnified alum. pic.twitter.com/f0uLxgiXmZ
— Joe Fitz Rodriguez (@FitzTheReporter) March 14, 2018
https://twitter.com/Caluvfornia/status/974015962218246144
Kansas City
Raytown South High School student: "We have never seen anything like this at our school or in our district."
This morning hundreds of students across Kansas City walked out of class to send a message. #NationalWalkoutDay #NeverAgain @41actionnews pic.twitter.com/o4vWLqcox0— Steven Dial (@StevenDialFox4) March 14, 2018
Nashville
Students at Antioch high school are facing some finger-wagging from liberals and conservatives alike. They went above and beyond any of the respectable protests that were expected, getting real rowdy to the point of tearing down an American flag and jumping on a cop car. While everyone else will either ignore or scold them, we’re here to say: kids, you’re doing great! Keep it up!
Young freedom fighters from Antioch High School near Nashville, Tennessee walked out of school, pulled down a USA flag from a flagpole, & jumped on a cop car for #NationalWalkoutDay: https://t.co/w23Eh6AJgI pic.twitter.com/T8LWbpw6sH
— Ash J (@AshAgony) March 15, 2018