Fourteen-year-old Ashley Berkowitz told hundreds of protesters out front of the Longmont Civic Center that the gun violence he lives with should not be acceptable.
“When I hear my teachers talking about when we’re doing our lockdown drills, that they will tell us when to run and they will get between us and the threat if they have too — when I hear that, that is a problem,” Berkowitz said. “They should not need to be prepared for that to happen because that should not be able to happen in the first place.”
His friend Lilly Wetzel, 14, also described the effects of mass shootings in her own classroom experience to the protesters on Saturday.
“I’ve had several lockdown drills, like real ones, where we had to hide in the room and our teachers would get in front of us and that is really scary,” Wetzel said. “Kids should not have to lock down.”
Hundreds walked down Longmont’s Main Street on Saturday morning to promote gun control as part of the March for Our Lives protests taking place across the country.
Longmont Latinos/Latina Voices joined the Longmont Progressives for the demonstration. Signs demanded action on gun laws and protesters of all ages chanted “Enough is enough” on their way to the Civic Center.
Elected officials also spoke, including Longmont Mayor Joan Peck, Councilmember Susie Hidalgo-Fahring, Councilmember Shiquita Yarbrough, Colorado Sen. Sonya Jaquez Lewis and Colorado Rep. Karen McCormick. Speakers pushed for all attending the protest to vote both in this month’s primary and in November.
Hidalgo-Farhing, who is also a teacher, spoke about her own experience in the classroom practicing active shooter drills alongside fire drills with her students.
“For the last 10 years, I have arranged my room in a way that I can easily block with giant cupboards in front of my door to keep people from coming in,” Hidalgo-Farhing said. “It’s not the ideal way to sort my room, but it’s the safest way that I know how.”
Peck told the crowd that Longmont city council plans to review gun safety laws on Tuesday and that she was firmly pro gun safety. She pushed for action beyond Longmont.
“They are allowing the NRA to become our government,” Peck said. “That is not right. You are the government. That is what our government is. It is by the people, so your voice matters.”
Yarbourgh also spoke up for gun control and encouraged the crowd to continue holding the government accountable.
“Thank you for using your power by voting,” Yarbourgh said. “Thank you for using your power by protesting. Thank you for using your power by marching. Thank you for using your power by speaking up.”
