A group of about 18 Penn State students protested a talk by Parkland shooting survivor and “March for Our Lives” co-founder David Hogg. The gun control activist visited the University Park campus on Friday.
The protestors marched across downtown State College carrying both American and “Don’t Tread on Me” flags.
Aidan Mattis said he organized the event to protest both Hogg’s rhetoric and the lack of gun rights speakers in the Student Programming Association line up.
“The main reason we’re out here is to show that we do have a voice,” Mattis said, “that we’re here, and that we’re not a bunch of violent criminals. We’re not child murderers. We’re just people who want to defend ourselves.”
Originally, protestors planned to march with guns in hand, but ultimately decided against the idea.
Across the street, Mary Rose Valentine held a counter protest of her own. The Delta Program High School senior said she’s tired of seeing her generation dying in mass shootings.
“We don’t need to protest for the Second Amendment,” Valentine said, “we need to protest for legislation and regulation of it.”
Hogg’s talk was sold out.
