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Baltimore Mayor keeps promise to send students to March For Our Lives

Advocate for stricter gun laws
Posted at 1:16 PM, Mar 07, 2018
and last updated 2018-03-08 06:33:01-05

Baltimore Mayor Catherine Pugh says she'll organize and help students get to D.C. for the March For Our Lives, where people will demand Congress pass tougher legislation on guns.

The march was started by students in Parkland, Florida, traumatized by the school shooting that killed 17 fellow students and staff.

"The reason we were reached out to, because we're Baltimore, we're close to Washington D.C. and there needs to be more diversity there at the march," Mayor Pugh said.

The mayor said she's working to get the trip, estimated to cost $100,000, privately funded.

"I don't think we understand the pain and suffering of people who experience violence, nor do we understand the pain that children and others are impacted by," she said.

Students made their voices heard Tuesday, during a march that ended at City Hall, showing they're part of the national conversation.

Mayor Pugh says these students suffer trauma from neighborhood crime and are fearful at school, after watching what happened in Parkland.

"We need our children in school but I also think we need to support our children and their voices," Mayor Pugh said the trip will not interfere with school, as the march is on a Saturday.

The March For Our Lives takes place March 24, 2018.

The Mayor's Office said they will have an event posted in EventBrite by the end of the week for city public and private school students to sign up.

Second Amendment enthusiasts, like the National Rifle Association say events like this will not help in the fight to end gun violence.