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7,000 children's shoes are lined up on the US Capitol lawn in a stunning memorial commemorating childhood victims of gun violence
7,000 children's shoes are lined up on the US Capitol lawn in a stunning memorial commemorating childhood victims of gun violence
Michelle MarkMar 13, 2018, 22:16 IST
Activists install 7000 shoes on the lawn in front of the U.S. Capitol on Capitol Hill in Washington, U.S. March 13, 2018.Reuters/Eric Thayer
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Activists lined up 7,000 pairs of empty children's shoes outside the US Capitol on Tuesday.
The stunning display commemorates the estimated amount of children killed by guns since a mass shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in 2012.
The display comes just one day ahead of a planned nationwide school walkout honoring the victims of last month's shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida.
Students across the country plan to walk out of their classrooms for 17 minutes to commemorate the 17 students and staff members who were killed in the February 14 massacre.
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The memorial was set up by Avaaz, a group that mobilizes activists largely through online campaigns and petitions. Here's what it looks like on the lawn:
Avaaz came up with the 7,000 figure by multiplying the estimated rate of fatalities by the five years and three months that have passed since the Sandy Hook shooting in December 2012.
"What we're saying is killing has to stop," Avaaz deputy director Emma Ruby-Sachs said. "The majority of gun owners want gun control and we're putting lives of these children at the feet of Congress and saying, 'Catch up, act now, let's end this.'"
Source: Fox 5 DC
The memorial is set to remain on the southeast lawn of the US Capitol until 2 p.m. on Tuesday.
Source: Fox 5 DC
In addition to Wednesday's school walkout, student activists have also organized a national March For Our Lives demonstration set for Saturday, March 24.
