East End Residents Participate In Marches Protesting Gun Violence

A strong breeze blew in from Long Wharf in Sag Harbor on Saturday. That gust would normally barrel down Main Street, but on this Saturday there was a buffer blocking the wind: a throng of people, young and old, making a statement against gun violence in schools.

March For Our Lives, a national day of protest to advocate for gun control, was observed not only by marchers traveling to Washington, D.C., for the main march but also by people joining marches locally in Sag Harbor and Southampton on Saturday.

Plans for the protest, with hundreds of local events being held across the country, arose in the aftermath of the February 14 mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida.

In Sag Harbor, residents gathered at Long Wharf at 11 a.m. to walk up and down the Main Street sidewalks in a loop. Chants of “What do we want? Gun control! When do we want it? Now!” and “My school, my child!” and “This is what democracy looks like!” were shouted on both sides of Main Street as marchers covered the sidewalks.

Scores of residents of all ages gathered with homemade signs to share their own statements calling for expanded gun control. The statements ranged from “You can put silencers on guns but you can’t put silencers on people,” to “Books not bullets” to “Enough is enough.”

Among the protesters were a sister and brother, Grace and Conor Flanagan, ages 12 and 15, who both attend Sag Harbor’s Pierson Middle-High School and had joined the march with their parents, Wendy and Jay Flanagan.

“I think every person here today makes a difference,” Grace said. “I know some people in my class are here, too.”

“Gun violence is mentioned a lot in my school,” Conor said.

“I think it’s better to have kids talking about guns than having to pick them up from an incident like Parkland,” Mr. Flanagan said.

Before the march, organizer Sinéad Murray, a senior at Pierson Middle-High School, had two speakers address the crowd. One speaker was Gianna Gregorio, an East Hampton High School senior who participated in the school walkout protesting gun violence earlier this month.

“When I protested in the East Hampton High School walkout, many cried out that [students in the walkout] politicized the Parkland shooting,” Gianna said. “But commemoration of that action is futile—this is an inherently political issue, and thoughts and prayers cannot prevent another tragedy. So we protest, not for an agenda but for our lives.”

Jackie Hilly, former executive director of New Yorkers for Gun Safety, also took the microphone. She said a “nightmare” of a bill passed in December, cosponsored by U.S. Representative Lee Zeldin, that allows people to carry concealed weapons in New York if they have concealed carry permits from other states.

“New York State has approximately 100,000 concealed carry permit holders who are mostly retired law enforcement officers, people with businesses who carry cash and people who have orders of protection issued in their benefit,” Ms. Hilly said. “The State of Florida alone, which is only one of 50 states, as you know, has 1.8 million concealed carry permit holders issued to people like George Zimmerman, who will be coming to our neighborhoods with their loaded and concealed guns.”

After the march, Sinéad said she was very impressed not only with the turnout but the age range of attendees at the march, specifically noting how she saw a baby holding a sign criticizing the NRA.

“I think it’s a really good sample of all the people who believe in this,” Sinéad said. “I think ages range from 6 months old to 60.”

She also noted how many were also students at Pierson, both her own age and in the middle school grades. “More and more, students are realizing that it could be us or any town across the country,” she said, noting the growing fear of school shootings.

In Southampton, the event held in solidarity with March For Our Lives was called “March For Safe Schools” in an effort to emphasize the safety of schoolchildren. Starting at noon, the event had participants walking from Town Hall to Agawam Park.

“It was great to see kids show up to support this,” Christopher Matamoros, 13, said. “People need to actually start paying attention to protecting kids so that they can go home to their families after school.”

“It was really cool to see how so many students are united together today, to, hopefully, change the nation,” Sophia Skoldberg, 13, said. “I think it’s important that we tell people what we think. I know kids who are afraid to go to school because of what happened in Parkland. It’s important to be able to go to school and be able to get your education without having to worry about that.”

“It just shows how we can unite together and make change,” said Michaela Schulman, 13. “Our generation is ready to vote and we can definitely change what goes on in our country. Part of it has to do with bullying. These kids that get made fun of every day, it’s not right.”

Meanwhile, East Hampton Town Councilwoman Kathee Burke-Gonzalez and her daughter, Nina, joined other East End residents on a trip to the nation’s capital to participate in the widely publicized march. And Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone issued a statement on Saturday supporting the young people participating in the marches.

“Today, thousands of students across the country have come together to speak up and demand action so they no longer must fear for their safety,” Mr. Bellone said. “Our young people have become courageous leaders who have inspired a nation, and their voices must be heard.”

Governor Andrew Cuomo also issued a statement about the marches after marching himself in New York City.

“Today says, we’re not taking it anymore and the NRA is not going to win the day,” Mr. Cuomo said. “The people of the United States are going to win the day and common sense is going to win the day.”

Staff writer Michael Wright contributed to this story.