Cutting Class–Counterinfo for the Ungovernable Generation
Tons of kids are cutting class today as part of a day of nationwide walkouts against gun violence. Some are walking out for only 17 minutes in memory of the 17 students killed at Stoneman Douglas HS on February 14th. Others have carried out full marches & rallies, taking streets and protesting in front of major symbols of the institutions that prop up the NRA & the militarized gun culture of the U.S. We’ve rounded up a collection of some of the most inspiring shit we’ve seen, including the moments of militancy that go unappreciated by mainstream media outlets.
General/Unknown Location
This poem is for all the people who should have never lost their lives. This poem is for all the people who have had #ENOUGH. This is is for #NationalWalkoutDay pic.twitter.com/r93b0FfZbb
— E // #NeverAgain (@bodieinabasket) March 14, 2018
Heard similar things with kids chanting “End White Supremacy!” https://t.co/bCr5CC3ELr
— Shay Horse (@HuntedHorse) March 14, 2018
New York City
HAPPENING NOW: Kids outside of the Trump Int’l Hotel in NYC are chanting “Hey, hey, NRA, how many kids have you killed today?”#NationalWalkoutDay pic.twitter.com/JSHoslNqn7
— #MarchForOurLives (@KaniJJackson) March 14, 2018
Students still marching around the block. “End Gun Violence!” #Enough #Students #NationalSchoolWalkout pic.twitter.com/k50R5VVlBN
— Shay Horse (@HuntedHorse) March 14, 2018
Atlanta
Concord, CA
Chicago
Kenwood students running toward lake shore drive, which some students want to try to shut down. Cops now racing that direction too. pic.twitter.com/FYVoIv3wM1
— Pete Grieve (@pete_grieve) March 14, 2018
Here’s police detaining Aminah Glenn, a junior at Kenwood Academy who participated in #NationalWalkoutDay pic.twitter.com/li8UIAnMJY
— Pete Grieve (@pete_grieve) March 14, 2018
[Editor’s Note: Later tweets confirmed that Aminah was not in police custody and will not face criminal charges. We featured this tweet to highlight the police repression & intimidation of black student protestors in the midst of this movement.]
Two schools in the South Side of Chicago #NationalWalkoutDay pic.twitter.com/IeWPVHmcHu
— Maya Malika (@MayaRevClub) March 14, 2018
More walkout photos from Chicago. The police were displeased with the situation. One cop turned to a crowd of supporters and said, “WHO ORGANIZED THIS?” And I was thinking, “Damn dude, don’t you internet?” #NationalSchoolWalkoutpic.twitter.com/A4Ro1dmkLP
— Dystopian Scribe (@MsKellyMHayes) March 14, 2018
Chicago students give list of demands for what they want for their schools and community #NationalWalkoutDay #Enough pic.twitter.com/22oGgElhhP
— Aaron Cynic (@aaroncynic) March 14, 2018
[Editor’s Note: The demands these kids make are way deeper than just gun control–stopping the growth of police, restorative justice, racial equity, and combating economic inequality. Even if you believe their particular demands are liberal, they’re worth listening to & engaging with. Once upon a time, you were a liberal high school student too.]
They’re marching in City Hall! Go kids, go! #NationalWalkoutDay pic.twitter.com/bnK4KPBc7h
— Eliz@beth King (@ekingc) March 14, 2018
Students have marched into City Hall and are doing a sit-in on the 1st floor, more schools reps are speaking about the disinvestment and disregard for Black youth in this city. #nationalwalkoutday #neveragain #NoCopAcademy pic.twitter.com/Fs73weqhXD
— Monica Trinidad (@monicatea2) March 14, 2018
Baltimore
Powerful: Hundreds of #Baltimore Poly students laying on ground to honor 17 victims killed in FL shooting & to push for stricter gun laws #NationalSchoolWalkout #NationalWalkoutDay #WalkoutWednesday pic.twitter.com/0pSFht6tVN
— Rick Ritter (@RickRitterWJZ) March 14, 2018
East Palo Alto
So proud of the kids in my community #NationalWalkoutDay #NoMoreGuns pic.twitter.com/wnjeJknNYf
— Talha bin Baqar (@TalhaAtHome) March 14, 2018
New Jersey
Under threat of suspension just one student walked out of Sayreville HS this morning #1010wins. Administrators warned students not to walk out pic.twitter.com/AEEFiThf7O
— glenn schuck (@glennschuck) March 14, 2018
Charlottesville
Kops are on a “school safety” panel tonight at @BlackKnightAVID #CHS. After wielding automatic rifles at a student protest AGAINST GUN VIOLENCE. pic.twitter.com/ZEnKypnlFD
— Solidarity Cville (@SolidCville) March 14, 2018
Washington D.C.
Ohio
New Orleans
Maryland
Madison, Wisconsin
#NationalWalkoutDay Right in front of Governor Scott Walker’s office. We need change NOW. pic.twitter.com/31tLNYEQ9a
— ash ˚ * ✹✧ * (@qalaxycth) March 14, 2018
Philadelphia
For Philly students, safety is not law enforcement in schls. #TrustStudentVision is about funding for restorative justice, counselors, social workers & mental health supports.
They demand a divestment from police. #EndWaronYouth #NoCopsNoGuns #NationalSchoolWalkout https://t.co/1vyVfbED1c
— Alliance4EdJustice (@4EdJustice) March 14, 2018
San Francisco
Thousands of #SanFrancisco kids chant “Hey hey! Ho ho! The #NRA has got to go!” followed by #BlackLivesMatter
As those cries echo through our sometimes-foggy downtown, I have never been prouder to be an @SFUnified alum. pic.twitter.com/f0uLxgiXmZ
— Joe Fitz Rodriguez (@FitzTheReporter) March 14, 2018
Xicanas demand safety #NationalWalkoutDay #SanFrancisco pic.twitter.com/NBxlPpVTE0
— ✨ (@Caluvfornia) March 14, 2018
Kansas City
Raytown South High School student: “We have never seen anything like this at our school or in our district.”
This morning hundreds of students across Kansas City walked out of class to send a message. #NationalWalkoutDay #NeverAgain @41actionnews pic.twitter.com/o4vWLqcox0— Steven Dial (@StevenDialTV) March 14, 2018
Nashville
Editor’s note: Students at Antioch high school are facing some finger-wagging from liberals and conservatives alike. They went above and beyond any of the respectable protests that were expected, getting real rowdy to the point of tearing down an American flag and jumping on a cop car. While everyone else will either ignore or scold them, we’re here to say: kids, you’re doing great! Keep it up!