Hundreds join March for Our Lives in Carson City

Despite cold conditions, hundreds gathered in Carson City on Saturday for the March for Our Lives.

Nationally, the movement was about anti-violence and called for stricter gun regulations. In Carson City, the message was no different.

“I think everyone is here for the same reason, we are tired of the violence and the ease (with which people can) get a gun,” said Carson resident Bob Hickox. “It is important because lots of people who get guns shouldn’t.”

Hickox, who is a registered gun owner, said he isn’t opposed to gun ownership, but there needs to be stricter background checks and a limitation on the magazines available for guns.

Nearly 200 people came out to show their support, marching from Mills Park to the Capitol where a rally was held throughout Saturday. Everyone from young to old to even the four-legged were out in the snow with signs and bullhorns to protest gun violence.

“It is obvious, the kids are doing something we all should have done a long time ago in my opinion,” said Anne Bowen.

She said history has seen similar movements, for example the college students who protested the Vietnam War.

“It is good they are doing it so young and it is incredible,” Bowen said. “And it is great to see in a town like Carson City that isn’t known for having demonstrations and I don’t know if it will work or not, but it least it will do something.”

The demonstrators had a variety of signs from “I was trained to be a teacher, not a sharp shooter” to “Fear has no place in the classroom” to “Book bags not body bags.” Passing vehicles honked and waved their support to those marching.

Once at the Capitol, the rally consisted of speakers from political affiliations to students, and both congressional candidate Rick Sheppard and Senate candidate Curtis Cannon were in attendance.

“This is important because it is about school safety and in spite of what was done, we had another shooting in Maryland so now we aren’t going to stop,” said organizer George McKinnon. “These kids started a movement ... it’s not political, even if people made it political, but we did it for the kids.”

McKinnon said he feels very strongly about the movement, and even publicly renounced his Republican status.

“I am converting today to the Democratic Party because I am done with the GOP,” McKinnon said. “We will march on and march on until things are changed.”

The demonstrations at the Capitol remained peaceful, with no problems arising from the protest, said Carson City Sheriff Ken Furlong.

“It was very orderly, we had only a few traffic complaints due to pedestrians but not significant,” said Furlong. “We had one pro-gun protester who was there but he checked in with law enforcement and there was no problem. Everything went fine.”