TAMPA, Fla. — The national movement against gun violence called Wear Orange will march from Tampa’s Curtis Hixon Park tonight, in a sign of solidarity for federal gun legislation, stronger red flag laws and better mental health evaluations that may keep guns out of the hands of people that is a threat to themselves or others.
"I think we are past, and I think everybody agrees, we are past the raising awareness phase,” said Gail Powell-Cope, a leader of Moms Demand Action, an anti-gun violence group in Tampa. “Everybody, I think, is aware of the issue of gun violence."
What You Need To Know
- Moms Demand Action hosting Wear Orange event in downtown Tampa Friday
- Group supports solidarity for federal gun legislation, stronger red flag laws and better mental health evaluations
- Event starts at 6 p.m.
- RELATED STORY: Pres. Biden calls for assault weapons ban, other gun reforms
The Wear Orange march is happening nationwide this weekend, with Tampa’s march kicking off from Curtis Hixon Waterfront park at 6.p.m.
Wear Orange is urging people to get involved in the political process of tightening gun restrictions, encouraging them to contact elected leaders and be vocal.
Moms Demand Action has been working since 2015 to raise awareness about gun violence locally, and says although Florida has made big strides since the Parkland shooting, it says it is against the governor’s recent push to make Florida a “constitutional carry” state, meaning the process of carrying a firearm concealed would no longer require a license.
As groups and politicians grapple with how to tackle gun violence in the wake of the Uvalde, Texas school shooting, Mom’s Demand Action says there is no one approach to dropping the rate of gun violence across the country.
“It seems like a lot of people think that we can do one thing to solve all the gun violence in our country and that's not just right because there are different factors that contribute to any act of gun violence,” said Powell-Cope. “So yes, background checks for everybody are important. So are the so-called red flag laws or the extreme risk protection laws that Florida has actually been very successful with."
Tonight’s Wear Orange march in Tampa will happen rain or shine, unless there is severe weather.
Stay tuned to Weather on the 9’s today for the latest forecast.