On Wednesday, hundreds of Michigan State University students took action and made their voices heard at the state Capitol in East Lansing. The demonstration was in response to the tragic mass shooting earlier that week which left three people dead and five critically injured. The students joined together to demand new gun control laws in a powerful silent sit-in demonstration.
The shooting occurred on Monday evening in a residential area outside of Lansing. According to authorities, the shooter opened fire on a group of nine people, killing three and leaving five with serious injuries that needed to be treated at the hospital. This senseless violence shook the local community and prompted MSU students to take action and call for stricter gun control legislation.
The MSU student protest was organized by several affiliated campus groups, including Spartans United Against Gun Violence, Advocates for Mental Health Reform, and Students for Change. The protesters marched from Beaumont Tower on MSU’s campus all the way to the Capitol Building just blocks away. Upon arriving at the Capitol, they held a silent sit-in demonstration that lasted for several hours.
Before heading out for their march, one member of Spartans United Against Gun Violence said: “We are here today because we are tired—we’re tired of hearing about school shootings across the nation, we’re tired of political inaction regarding gun control laws—and so today is our chance to do something about it.” The students were able to make their voices heard by lawmakers inside and outside of Michigan’s state government.
MSU President Samuel Stanley Jr. said in an official statement: “At Michigan State University we join our students in demanding action from elected officials on strengthening gun safety measures across our state and country.” By coming together as one unified voice against gun violence, these brave young protesters showed that real change can happen when people stand up for what they believe in.
