Dozens of Fairport High School students were joined by adults late Thursday afternoon for a protest in response to the mass shootings that took place recently in Buffalo and in Uvalde, Texas.
They gathered first at Potter Park and then marched to Main and Church streets in the village.
Cadence Cardona was one of the organizers, and she said this is the kind of situation that will require more protests to keep this issue in front of the minds of Americans.
“I worry that the media and just America in general might become number to this and just accept it as a normal event,” said Cardona. “It shouldn’t be, because children are dying, people are dying for no reason.”
Another organizer, Annie Loomis, said that the students are working to keep this issue in front of people, especially political leaders.
“We are individuals who will speak up when we see something that shouldn’t be happening,” said Loomis. “We don’t just sit there and watch these innocent children and families suffer. Because we don’t abuse our rights to speak against the government; we are here for justice, peace and change.”
John Baynes is a Monroe County legislator. He is also a former Fairport High School teacher who now teaches at Our Lady of Mercy.
Baynes told the students that he admires them for organizing this protest.
“And I want to tell you how proud I am of you for being here today, for raising your voices…enough is enough, God bless you,” said Baynes.
Students who organized the protest in Fairport say they should not have to be afraid to go to school because of the possibility of violence. The event on Thursday also included the reading of names from the mass shootings in Buffalo and Uvalde, Texas.
