Hundreds of San Antonio school students plan to rally downtown on Saturday to participate in the nationwide 'March for Our Lives' against gun violence in schools, News Radio 1200 WOAI reports.
Rachel Walsdorf, a senior at the Jay Science and Engineering Academy and one of the organizers of the San Antonio event, says the students will gather outside City Hall at noon, and then march to the Alamo.
"And once we get to the Alamo Plaza area we will have a 'die-in' which is when we lay on the ground, as symbolic of all the people who have lost their lives due to gun violence," Rachel said.
She says the goals of the march, in addition to drawing attention to the demands of children not to have to dodge bullets in their classroom, include prohibiting the sale and use of so called 'high capacity magazines. They say limiting the number of bullets that a gun can discharge at one time will at least force any shooter to stop and reload, giving children the chance to escape.
She says the group wants the AR-15 rifle, which was used by gunmen from Sutherland Springs Texas to Parkland Florida, completely banned for sale and possession.
"We really want to see a ban on the AR-15," she said. "We don't see any reason as to why this should be allowed. We also want to see a raise in the age from 18 to 21 to buy any kind of gun."
The group is also calling for mandatory criminal and mental health background checks for all purchasers of firearms, and a requirement that all bun buyers first complete a safety course, like the one required for a Concealed Handgun License, saying that would prevent people from buying a weapon 'in the heat of the moment.'
Rachel recognizes that many people strongly support the private ownership of firearms under the Second Amendment, and she says law abiding gun owners should embrace the 'March for our Lives' movement.
"We are not taking anything away from anybody who has guns legally and has good intentions, like using them for recreation or whatnot," she said. "But this will strengthen the safety, so we don't have to be afraid to go to school."
San Antonio and Texas students generally did not participate in the anti gun school walkouts that were held on March 14th because they were away from school for Spring Break.
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