Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooting survivors and Parkland residents marched on Saturday, in support of the Black Lives Matter Movement.
“I’m glad with how it turned out but even if we only got a few people, it’s the message that’s important,” said Parkland Shooting Survivor Hannah Karcinell.
Shooting victim Joaquin Oliver’s parents helped organize the event, through their non-profit Change the Ref.
The organization focuses on youth empowerment and gun safety.
“I feel like they’re entangled in each other,” said Karcinell.
Meanwhile, other Parkland residents had a counter-protest for Blue Lives Matter across the intersection.
Over a hundred Parklanders marched screaming #BlackLivesMatter in solidarity w/ the largest movement in US history. There was a small bunch of old blue lives matter people who frankly disappoint and disgust me. Cops failed Parkland like they fail everywhere else. #DefundThePolice pic.twitter.com/y2yGl2rQtB
— Matt Deitsch (@MattxRed) July 11, 2020
“We believe it’s important for the police to know that we support them and what they do. They have a very difficult job and if you fail to support the police you’ll have worse police,” said Andrew Klein, who helped organize that event.
“it’s honestly horrifying to me that this is a response from my neighbors, it’s a response to black lives matter,” said Karcinell.
Still, the groups found some similar views on the need for police reform.
“With what happened the day of the shooting, with the school resource officer not doing anything and other police officers doing nothing, just standing outside the freshman building as 17 people were murdered,” said Karcinell.
“MSD was a failure in policing. George Floyd was an absolute failure. And those things need to be corrected,” added Klein.
Both protests remained peaceful.