LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Hundreds of people marched through downtown Louisville on Saturday to rally against gun violence.
Various groups including “JCPS Justice Now,” “WE Day Kentucky” and “The ACE Project” gathered outside of Metro Hall.
Louisville officials Mayor Greg Fischer and U.S. Representative John Yarmuth also participated alongside the families of local gun violence victims.
Following the rally was a march down Sixth Street to the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Plaza at Sixth and Chestnut streets.
The rally and march coincide with several other March for Our Lives events happening in Washington D.C. and across the country in the wake of another series of mass shootings, including one at a Texas elementary school where 21 people, including 19 children, were killed.
"We will campaign, and use our voices, and work endlessly to replace you with somebody who prioritizes our lives," said Solyana Mesfin, a Louisville student activist.
The March for Our Lives protest allowed students, parents and Kentuckians alike to call on lawmakers for change.
"I feel like it's different, you don't see this many people coming together," said Anya Hudson with The Real Young Prodigy's.
Andrene Flowers, another member of The Real Young Prodigy's, says she feels like they aren't being listened to.
"It's really important today because it feels like no one's voices are being heard. I feel like when there is a problem they look at it and make it seem like they're sympathetic but they're really not. It just goes in one ear and right out but when we take action it's then going to be a problem," said Flowers.
PHOTOS | March for our Lives in downtown Louisville
Fischer later called on Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell to take action.
"It's as easy as the US Senate, the Republicans in the US Senate acting on it. Their leader is Mitch McConnell, our senator from Kentucky, he's got massive power, he can put it to good use to save lives through sensible gun reform," said Fischer.
Flowers says it's a scary thought to know there are between 200 and 350 million guns in the U.S. right now.
"Us kids, we fear for our lives and we never know, when are we going to be next…is the question," said Flowers.
Fischer noted he's proud to see this city refusing to stay silent.
"You saw people as young as 4-years-old and as old as 94-years-old out here today. I marched with one man, Reverend Charles Elliott who said 'I marched with Dr. King, and we're still marching and it's the right thing to do," said Fischer.
March for Our Lives is a student-led group that advocates for ending gun violence and supports gun control legislation. It was created by survivors of the 2018 mass shooting at a high school in Parkland, Fla.
Make it easy to keep up-to-date with more stories like this. Download the WHAS11 News app now. For Apple or Android users.
Have a news tip? Email assign@whas11.com, visit our Facebook page or Twitter feed.
Sign up for the WHAS11 newsletter: "WHAS Up Kentuckiana." Get the latest headlines and videos from around Kentuckiana delivered daily to your inbox.