Rochester students stage walk out in protest of gun violence

ROCHESTER — Mayo High School students joined a national initiative by walking out of school midday Friday, Sept. 5, in protest of gun violence.

About 100 high school students gathered outside the school at noon Friday. Some students carried signs, and organizers spoke about legislative inaction at the federal and state levels before holding a moment of silence for victims of gun violence.

The student-led group the Rochester Community Initiative organized the event to coincide with a national walk-out push organized by Everytown for Gun Safety’s student groups Students Demand Action.

Abril Cortes Perez, a Mayo junior, said although the rally was about raising awareness, it was also about raising the voices of young people who are most affected by the specter of gun violence in schools.