美国有线新闻 CNN 全美多地爆发大规模控枪游行 反枪派与挺枪派爆发冲突

 

We're starting with a recap of a weekend event that brought out hundreds of thousands of demonstrators in cities across the U.S. and beyond. It was called the March for Our Lives. It included students, parents, teachers, survivors of school shootings, and celebrities. And its main goal was to push for new restrictions on guns in America, while also honoring the students and school staff who were killed last month at a shooting in Parkland, Florida.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Politicians, either represent the people or get out. The people demand a lot, banning the sale of assault weapons. The people demand we prohibit the sale of high capacity magazines. The people demand universal background checks. Stand for us or beware the voters are coming.

AZUZ: Those were some of the demands of the marchers. And while many echoed the call for new laws concerning gun control in the U.S., others pushed for gun ownership to be outlawed altogether. There were also demonstrators who drew attention specifically to African-Americans who've been killed in shootings.

The White House issued a statement saying the government applauded the many courageous young Americans exercising their First Amendment rights, and that keeping children safe is a top priority of the president.

Florida Senator Marco Rubio also issued a statement supporting the marchers' First Amendment rights. But he added that there are a number of Americans concerned about, quote, an infringement on the Second Amendment rights of law abiding citizens, that while they too want to prevent mass shootings, they don't support a ban on guns.

That was the message of several groups of counter-protesters who also gathered on Saturday in support of gun rights. And there were some angry arguments between the two sides.