Chicago Students Participate In National School Walkout: Video

CHICAGO, IL — Students from across Chicago walked out of class on April 20, the anniversary of the Columbine High School shooting in Colorado. While most Chicago students began walkouts at 10 a.m., some schools — such as Chicago Waldorf School in Rogers Park and Back of the Yards College Prep — began their walkouts after 2 p.m. Walkouts happened across the country Friday to continue the push for stricter gun laws.

Schools in Chicago's Near North, Lincoln Park, Logan Square, Rogers Park, North Park, Norwood Park, Indian Village and Back of the Yards neighborhoods marched to Grant Park, where a rally was held.

Andrew Hiss and Leon Eboigbe, both sophomores at Jones College Prep, said their school planned to march at 11:30, but they chose to leave early to march alongside students from other schools.

"There is a lot of gun violence in Chicago, and there are a lot of outcries, but nothing is being done about it," Eboigbe said. "I feel like it's our duty to come out here and march, even if we do get consequences from our school."

Hiss said Chicago's gun violence has affected his family.

"This is a really important cause for me — some of my family members don't live in such a good neighborhood, so it's really about fighting for what's right and standing up for what I believe in."

Both Hiss and Eboigbe said they've seen student protesters being bullied online by adults and they aren't letting that get them down.

"I just think all the adults who are making fun of kids really have nothing better to do," Hiss said. "I feel like they're getting upset for no logical reason when we're just trying to peacefully protest for what we believe is right."

"This protest is really about trying to represent the people of color who don't have as much of a voice," Hiss said. "They've had these problems in their neighborhoods for many, many years and it's gone unnoticed, but as soon as it starts affecting white people, then there's an outcry."

Students at Back of the Yards College Prep scheduled their walkout at 2:45 p.m., and plan to march to the Thompson Center downtown to protest outside Gov. Bruce Rauner's office.

"We will be laying out shoes in front of the Thompson Center to represent all the people that we have lost this year due to gun violence," students posted to the #IncreaseThePeace Facebook page.

Chicago Waldorf High School students and faculty marched to a community rally at 2 p.m. Glenwood was closed from Morse to Farwell for the event.

"Join Chicago Waldorf High School students and faculty as they walk to the site on Glenwood of recent neighborhood violence which has impacted our community," the school posted on Facebook. "Hear students from CWS, Chicago Math and Science Academy and Sullivan High School as well as members of the community speak at this gathering about recent gun violence experienced close to home."

Most individual school walkouts will began at 10 a.m. on Friday. Students gathered at Grant Park around 11:30 a.m., then marched to a rally outside the Federal Building at 12 p.m.

School walkouts were held March 14 across Chicago — one month after the mass shooting at Marjorie Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida. Then on March 24, more than 85,000 people gathered for March for Our Lives Chicago on the Near West Side.

Photos/videos by Amber Fisher