KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — On Tuesday, protestors in Nashville linked arms for a change. It was part of a demonstration urging lawmakers to pass gun safety laws, and they planned to form a human chain between the Monroe Carell Jr. Children's Hospital at Vanderbilt to the state capitol.
It was called "Linking Arms for Change" and started at 6:15 p.m. Eastern time. It was sponsored by Voices for a Safer Tennessee and was meant to show support for three specific gun safety proposals, listed below.
- Extreme Risk Laws that would allow authorities to temporarily remove guns from people who pose a risk to themselves or others
- Stronger Gun Storage Laws that would require gun owners to provide safe storage and report lost or stolen guns.
- Closing Background Check Loopholes to keep guns away from dangerous people by closing the background check loophole.
The Knoxville community also gathered to participate in solidarity with the Nashville demonstrators. Groups gathered in Market Square with signs urging for lawmakers to pass gun safety laws in Tennessee.
Groups gathered to march and speak during Knoxville's demonstration.
Children died of gun violence the most in the U.S., compared to other causes of death such as car crashes, poisoning, cancer and suffocation, according to Everytown for Gun Safety.