Emma Gonzalez got the March for Our Lives audience riled up. She named the victims of the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooting in Parkland, Florida. The crowd was ready to hear more.
Watch: Emma Gonzalez’s incredible moment of silence at March for Our Lives
Gonzalez abruptly went silent for minutes to honor the victims of the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooting.
Then, silence — for minutes.
“Since the time that I came out here, it has been 6 minutes and 20 seconds,” Gonzalez said, breaking her silence. “The shooter has ceased shooting, and will soon abandon his rifle, blend in with the students as they escape, and walk free for an hour before arrest. Fight for your lives before it’s someone else’s job.”
The moment quickly drew praise and astonishment on social media, with several people calling it remarkable and powerful. The Black List founder Franklin Leonard described it as “one of the most remarkable political moments I’ve seen.”
You can watch the full video on NBC News’s Twitter feed.
Gonzalez later commented on the moment on Twitter, asking people to imagine “how it would feel if you had to hide during that silence.”
The March for Our Lives is a direct response to the Parkland shooting, which inspired Gonzalez and other student survivors to launch a movement in hopes of convincing lawmakers to address the issue of gun violence and, in particular, school shootings. In response, thousands of students, parents, teachers, and others came from around the US on Saturday to protest in Washington, DC.
For more on America’s gun problem, read Vox’s explainer.
