Students against gun reform walk out of class
May 2, 2018, 1:09 PM | Updated: May 3, 2018, 12:45 am
WEST VALLEY CITY, Utah – Earlier this year, students across the country walked out of class calling for stricter gun control after the Parkland, Florida high school mass shooting.
Wednesday, some students from around the nation showed their opposing view in a pro-gun walkout.
Thirty-five students from Hunter High School in West Valley City participated.
Colin Thorup organized a walkout at Hunter High School.
This was one of about 200 protests expected across the country on Wednesday morning. They were organized by a New Mexico high school student frustrated that his stance on protecting the Second Amendment was not being shared.
Colin Thorup, a sophomore at Hunter High School, coordinated the protest at his school.
“A big problem that we see right now is we feel like everyone thinks the teens are only one-sided since the Parkland shooting survivors have been talking and stuff, so we wanted to come out and show we have our own side and our own voice and we can speak for ourselves,” said Thorup.
Students walked out of class Wednesday, May 2, 2018
A handful of other community members showed up to share their support like Clark Aposhian, chair of the Utah Shooting Sports Council and member of the Utah School Safety committee, “Some students actually have the right idea on these things. It’s not the guns it’s the people.”
“We don’t think it’s right that we should be putting these restrictions and bans on these certain guns and tools that have been used. Sure they are used by the wrong people at the wrong time and they can do a lot of damage, but when they’re in the hands of good guys they can protect us all,” said Thorup, who believes more of his peers would have participated in Wednesday’s walkout ,if they didn’t feel pressure of retribution. He says he received flack when he didn’t walk out during the gun reform demonstration.
