Several Maryland high school students were arrested Friday afternoon for protesting outside House Speaker Paul Ryan's office on Capitol Hill. (Photo: @moco4guncontro/Periscope/screenshot)
May 19, 2018
Four Maryland high school students were arrested by Capitol Police on Friday afternoon for peacefully protesting outside House Speaker Paul Ryan's (R-Wis.) office in Washington, D.C., demanding that the lawmaker work to pass stricter gun control legislation that has the support of most Americans.
"We should not live in a country where we have to go to school in fear of the possibility of looking down the barrel of a rifle," Daniel Gelillo, a member of Montgomery County Students for Gun Control, which staged the protest, told the Huffington Post.
The demonstration came hours after 10 people were gunned down at a high school in Santa Fe, Texas. The U.S. Capitol Police confirmed that four of the students were detained and face charges for "crowding, obstructing, or incommoding."
Wearing signs that read "Allow the Vote," the students arrived at the Longworth House Office Building at around 4:30pm on Friday and assembled on the floor outside Ryan's office. The demonstration was live-streamed on Periscope.
\u201cHigh school kids in silent protest outside US House @SpeakerRyan's office were arrested today: \n\nVid: https://t.co/xvqDtswtZa \n\ncc: #gunreform #guncontrol #SantaFeShooting #NeverAgain #enoughisenough #notonemore\u201d— @raehodge@mastodon.online (@@raehodge@mastodon.online) 1526683890
\u201chttps://t.co/ClRdXbCCSf\u201d— MoCo Students For Change (@MoCo Students For Change) 1526676057
Ryan has refused to allow the House to consider new restrictions on gun purchases and ownership in the wake of the Parkland shooting, prompting condemnation from Democrats and gun control advocates.
As Capitol Police arrived in the hall and told the students they would be arrested unless they left, one protester replied, "We don't mind getting arrested."
"One arrest, four arrests, a thousand arrests isn't going to stop us until no more children are dying in their schools because of unnecessary guns in the hands of wrong people," said one student as the police detained four members of the group who had refused to disperse.
Survivors of the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooting in Parkland, Fla., which spurred the #NeverAgain movement, two nationwide student walkouts, and the massive March for Our Lives, applauded the protesters.
\u201cI love these kids almost as much as @SpeakerRyan loves arresting students practicing their First Amendment rights to peacefully protest. #AllowTheVote https://t.co/PXvmfbrJpl\u201d— David Hogg \u262e\ufe0f (@David Hogg \u262e\ufe0f) 1526678822
The demonstration came as more information was being released about the some of the 10 victims of the Santa Fe High School shooting.
Two substitute teachers, Cynthia Tisdale and Ann Perkins, were among those killed, as well as a Pakistani exchange student named Sabika Sheikh. Sheikh was attending the school through the State Department's Youth Exchange and Study Program and was scheduled to return home next month.
\u201cWith less than a month until going home to her friends and family, Sabika Sheikh, a YES exchange student from Pakistan, was killed in the #SantaFeHighSchool shooting. If this had happened to me when I was on YES in Jordan it would be "terrorism"-why is it different when it's here\u201d— Ariel Russell (@Ariel Russell) 1526679333
Why Your Ongoing Support Is Essential
Donald Trump’s attacks on democracy, justice, and a free press are escalating — putting everything we stand for at risk. We believe a better world is possible, but we can’t get there without your support. Common Dreams stands apart. We answer only to you — our readers, activists, and changemakers — not to billionaires or corporations. Our independence allows us to cover the vital stories that others won’t, spotlighting movements for peace, equality, and human rights. Right now, our work faces unprecedented challenges. Misinformation is spreading, journalists are under attack, and financial pressures are mounting. As a reader-supported, nonprofit newsroom, your support is crucial to keep this journalism alive. Whatever you can give — $10, $25, or $100 — helps us stay strong and responsive when the world needs us most. Together, we’ll continue to build the independent, courageous journalism our movement relies on. Thank you for being part of this community. |
Our work is licensed under Creative Commons (CC BY-NC-ND 3.0). Feel free to republish and share widely.
Four Maryland high school students were arrested by Capitol Police on Friday afternoon for peacefully protesting outside House Speaker Paul Ryan's (R-Wis.) office in Washington, D.C., demanding that the lawmaker work to pass stricter gun control legislation that has the support of most Americans.
"We should not live in a country where we have to go to school in fear of the possibility of looking down the barrel of a rifle," Daniel Gelillo, a member of Montgomery County Students for Gun Control, which staged the protest, told the Huffington Post.
The demonstration came hours after 10 people were gunned down at a high school in Santa Fe, Texas. The U.S. Capitol Police confirmed that four of the students were detained and face charges for "crowding, obstructing, or incommoding."
Wearing signs that read "Allow the Vote," the students arrived at the Longworth House Office Building at around 4:30pm on Friday and assembled on the floor outside Ryan's office. The demonstration was live-streamed on Periscope.
\u201cHigh school kids in silent protest outside US House @SpeakerRyan's office were arrested today: \n\nVid: https://t.co/xvqDtswtZa \n\ncc: #gunreform #guncontrol #SantaFeShooting #NeverAgain #enoughisenough #notonemore\u201d— @raehodge@mastodon.online (@@raehodge@mastodon.online) 1526683890
\u201chttps://t.co/ClRdXbCCSf\u201d— MoCo Students For Change (@MoCo Students For Change) 1526676057
Ryan has refused to allow the House to consider new restrictions on gun purchases and ownership in the wake of the Parkland shooting, prompting condemnation from Democrats and gun control advocates.
As Capitol Police arrived in the hall and told the students they would be arrested unless they left, one protester replied, "We don't mind getting arrested."
"One arrest, four arrests, a thousand arrests isn't going to stop us until no more children are dying in their schools because of unnecessary guns in the hands of wrong people," said one student as the police detained four members of the group who had refused to disperse.
Survivors of the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooting in Parkland, Fla., which spurred the #NeverAgain movement, two nationwide student walkouts, and the massive March for Our Lives, applauded the protesters.
\u201cI love these kids almost as much as @SpeakerRyan loves arresting students practicing their First Amendment rights to peacefully protest. #AllowTheVote https://t.co/PXvmfbrJpl\u201d— David Hogg \u262e\ufe0f (@David Hogg \u262e\ufe0f) 1526678822
The demonstration came as more information was being released about the some of the 10 victims of the Santa Fe High School shooting.
Two substitute teachers, Cynthia Tisdale and Ann Perkins, were among those killed, as well as a Pakistani exchange student named Sabika Sheikh. Sheikh was attending the school through the State Department's Youth Exchange and Study Program and was scheduled to return home next month.
\u201cWith less than a month until going home to her friends and family, Sabika Sheikh, a YES exchange student from Pakistan, was killed in the #SantaFeHighSchool shooting. If this had happened to me when I was on YES in Jordan it would be "terrorism"-why is it different when it's here\u201d— Ariel Russell (@Ariel Russell) 1526679333
Four Maryland high school students were arrested by Capitol Police on Friday afternoon for peacefully protesting outside House Speaker Paul Ryan's (R-Wis.) office in Washington, D.C., demanding that the lawmaker work to pass stricter gun control legislation that has the support of most Americans.
"We should not live in a country where we have to go to school in fear of the possibility of looking down the barrel of a rifle," Daniel Gelillo, a member of Montgomery County Students for Gun Control, which staged the protest, told the Huffington Post.
The demonstration came hours after 10 people were gunned down at a high school in Santa Fe, Texas. The U.S. Capitol Police confirmed that four of the students were detained and face charges for "crowding, obstructing, or incommoding."
Wearing signs that read "Allow the Vote," the students arrived at the Longworth House Office Building at around 4:30pm on Friday and assembled on the floor outside Ryan's office. The demonstration was live-streamed on Periscope.
\u201cHigh school kids in silent protest outside US House @SpeakerRyan's office were arrested today: \n\nVid: https://t.co/xvqDtswtZa \n\ncc: #gunreform #guncontrol #SantaFeShooting #NeverAgain #enoughisenough #notonemore\u201d— @raehodge@mastodon.online (@@raehodge@mastodon.online) 1526683890
\u201chttps://t.co/ClRdXbCCSf\u201d— MoCo Students For Change (@MoCo Students For Change) 1526676057
Ryan has refused to allow the House to consider new restrictions on gun purchases and ownership in the wake of the Parkland shooting, prompting condemnation from Democrats and gun control advocates.
As Capitol Police arrived in the hall and told the students they would be arrested unless they left, one protester replied, "We don't mind getting arrested."
"One arrest, four arrests, a thousand arrests isn't going to stop us until no more children are dying in their schools because of unnecessary guns in the hands of wrong people," said one student as the police detained four members of the group who had refused to disperse.
Survivors of the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooting in Parkland, Fla., which spurred the #NeverAgain movement, two nationwide student walkouts, and the massive March for Our Lives, applauded the protesters.
\u201cI love these kids almost as much as @SpeakerRyan loves arresting students practicing their First Amendment rights to peacefully protest. #AllowTheVote https://t.co/PXvmfbrJpl\u201d— David Hogg \u262e\ufe0f (@David Hogg \u262e\ufe0f) 1526678822
The demonstration came as more information was being released about the some of the 10 victims of the Santa Fe High School shooting.
Two substitute teachers, Cynthia Tisdale and Ann Perkins, were among those killed, as well as a Pakistani exchange student named Sabika Sheikh. Sheikh was attending the school through the State Department's Youth Exchange and Study Program and was scheduled to return home next month.
\u201cWith less than a month until going home to her friends and family, Sabika Sheikh, a YES exchange student from Pakistan, was killed in the #SantaFeHighSchool shooting. If this had happened to me when I was on YES in Jordan it would be "terrorism"-why is it different when it's here\u201d— Ariel Russell (@Ariel Russell) 1526679333
We've had enough. The 1% own and operate the corporate media. They are doing everything they can to defend the status quo, squash dissent and protect the wealthy and the powerful. The Common Dreams media model is different. We cover the news that matters to the 99%. Our mission? To inform. To inspire. To ignite change for the common good. How? Nonprofit. Independent. Reader-supported. Free to read. Free to republish. Free to share. With no advertising. No paywalls. No selling of your data. Thousands of small donations fund our newsroom and allow us to continue publishing. Can you chip in? We can't do it without you. Thank you.