50 Miles More March From Worcester Starts; Students Carry Message

WORCESTER, MA — Dozens of students and activists set out Thursday morning from Worcester City Hall, kicking off the first leg of a four-day, 50-mile march that will finish on the doorstep of a major gun manufacturer in Springfield.

The destination for the 50 Miles More March: Massachusetts is the headquarters of Smith & Wesson, one of the largest gun manufacturers in the world. The activists are bringing with them demands that the company stop producing guns that are illegal in Massachusetts but allowed in other states. They also intend on demanding Smith & Wesson give $5 million to gun violence research.

The gun used in the Parkland shooting in Februrary that killed 17 students and staff at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School was a Smith & Wesson M&P 15 .223. That gun isn't legal to sell in Massachusetts.

"I understand [Smith & Wesson] important to the city and its employs a lot of people," said Nate Lapointe, a 15-year-old junior from West Springfield. "But that doesn't give them a free pass on selling weapons that are used to commit mass murder. At some point, we have to hold them accountable."

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The activists were joined by Parkland shooting survivor David Hogg and two parents of one of the shooting victims. Manuel Oliver is making the march in the basketball shoes of his son, Joaquin, who was one of those killed.

"The kids of America have to stand up when our irresponsible politician won't," Hogg said. "We're here to elect morally just leaders that will protect us as Americans."

Rep. Jim McGovern aired his frustrations through a megaphone at the rally.

"We live in a country where massacres occur on a regular basis. This is insane," he said. "And yet while all this is going on Congress doesn't do a damn thing."

In March, tens of thousands of students and allies rallied in Boston for the March For Our Lives. The rally was part of an organized nationwide movement in which primarily high school students took to the streets to demand change.

"March for Our Lives: Boston is an amazing example of what it looks like when students come together to demand change," Hogg said at Thursday's rally. "We're marching across Massachusetts to make sure our legislators are hearing our voices and in particular, are working to combat the urban gun violence that disproportionately impacts communities of color."

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Materials from The Associated Press were used in this story. Charlene Arsenault, Patch staff, contributed to this story. The ass

Photo: David Hogg, third from left, walks during the 50 Miles More walk against gun violence which will end with a protest at the Smith and Wesson Firearms factory. (Photo by Scott Eisen/Getty Images)

Additional photos submitted by 617 Media Group, used with permission