Students in the USA have staged a 'lie-in' outside the White House to demand reforms to gun laws, following the Florida school shooting which killed 17 people.

Professor Tim Lockley, from the School of Comparative American Studies at the University of Warwick, comments on the story:

"Historically nothing can match the power and influence of the National Rifle Association (NRA).

"Despite numerous mass shootings and widespread public support for some tightening of gun control laws, the NRA have fiercely defended gun rights and through their funding of congressional campaigns they know that lawmakers will not act.

"This new protest at the White House perhaps has the potential to change things because it draws upon a growing youth activism. Unlike some recent school shootings these high-schoolers are older, more politically active, and social media savvy.

"The litmus test, however, will be at the ballot box. If they can unseat congressional candidates at the mid-terms then the NRA will start to lose influence over America’s gun laws."

20 February 2018

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