Hundreds rally for gun reform at Nashville State Capitol
Hundreds of people gathered outside Nashville’s State Capitol Thursday morning to rally for gun control in the wake of the deadly shooting earlier this week at The Covenant School.
Beginning at 8 a.m. local time, the demonstration drew a large crowd wielding signs and chanting “What do we want? Gun control! When do we want it? Now!”
A live feed from FOX 17 showed the protestors ascending the steps of the Capitol as choral music played in the background.
The event drew demonstrators of all ages, including parents with young children in strollers and students in school uniforms.
One attendee hoisted a sign reading “My nieces and nephews deserve better,” while another urged “Do better, Tim,” referring to Rep. Tim Burchett.
A third poignant sign asked those in power to “Make Murder More Difficult.”
WKRN’s Chris O’Brien tweeted that some protestors called out “Where is Marsha?” in reference to Tennessee Gov. Marsha Blackburn.
As the demonstration grew, the protestors blocked the sidewalk and most of the road in front of the Capitol building.
Shortly before 9 a.m. local time, a video from NC5’s Chris Davis showed a smaller group gathered inside the Capitol rotunda singing a touching rendition of Bill Wither’s “Lean on Me.”
Eventually, the crowd formed a narrow gap that forced House members to walk through the scene before entering the chamber.
The protest was planned by AWAKE, a Tennessee non-profit dedicated to improving conditions for women and children in the state.
In a social media post on Wednesday, the group outlined plans to gather at the Capitol ahead of the House Floor 9 a.m. session.
“Then we will sing and we will let our elected officials know we demand an end to gun violence and we demand common sense gun laws,” the announcement read.
WTVF reported Thursday morning that the gathering was also spearheaded by Metro Nashville Public Schools Parents (MNPSP).
The emotional demonstration came after six people, including three children, were fatally gunned down at the private Christian school on Monday.
Police shared on Tuesday that the shooter, Audrey “Aiden” Hale, 28, had amassed an arsenal of seven weapons despite being under medical care for an “emotional disorder.”
Hale was shot dead at the scene by two police officers.
The horrific incident quickly became a political lightning rod, with politicians on both sides of the aisle facing scrutiny for their response to the tragedy.
Republican Rep. Andy Ogles, who serves the area where the Covenant shooting took place, faced particular criticism over his family’s 2021 Christmas card, which showed Ogles, his wife, and their children wielding assault rifles.
When asked if he regretted the image in light of Monday’s carnage, Ogles scoffed “Why would I regret a photograph with my family exercising my rights to bear arms?”
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