The upcoming “March for our Lives” rallies planned around the nation in response to the Parkland student shootings last month are getting financial help from a well-organized activist group — at the rate of $5,000 for each event.
A mega-march will take place in the nation’s capital on March 24. There will also be a multitude of “sibling marches” in all 50 states according to Everytown for Gun Safety, a gun violence prevention organization primarily underwritten with funds from former New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg.
“Everytown is providing structural support for organic local marches planned in communities of all sizes across the nation,” the group said Tuesday. “Everytown previously announced $2.5 million in grants to provide 500 organizers with resources of $5,000 per march for associated operational expenses.
“Due to overwhelming organizing momentum and interest in participation that has emerged in the past two weeks, more than 400 local marches have been planned by students and survivors in communities big and small — from Fairbanks, Alaska to Lee’s Summit, Missouri and beyond,” organizers said. “Numbers are expected to increase leading up to the national day of action calling for lawmakers to make students’ lives and safety a priority and pass common-sense gun safety legislation.”
The group expects close to 100 marches to be organized overseas, and now tallies a total of 482 events “worldwide” in the U.S., along with Britain, Spain, Italy, India, Vietnam, Japan, Chile and Australia and other nations. The group also is raising money for the marches through branded merchandise — a “March Merch” collection of shirts and hoodies emblazoned with the “March for our Lives” logo, ranging in price from $25-31.
“We will see you in the streets,” the group advises buyers.
• Jennifer Harper can be reached at jharper@washingtontimes.com.
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