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The impact of social media on National School Walkout Day

While social media played a big role in disseminating information leading up to National School Walkout Day, there were noticeably less cellphones in the hands of protesters during the actual protest.

WASHINGTON — Thousands of students marched from the White House to the Capitol in support of more extensive background checks for people seeking to purchase guns.

Many students I spoke with said they found out about this event through social media. They have also urged their peers to join this movement on social media. But when it comes to posting from the protest today, many have chosen to be present and not post in the moment. While there were certainly some students with their phones in the air capturing the power and size of this protest, the majority had signs in their hands. In some cases, students have signs written on their hands. 

Credit: WUSA

One moment I won’t soon forget... during the 17 minutes of silence the protesters observed for the people killed at Stoneman Douglas High School, their mouths were closed, but their words were deafening. Many student had the words: “DON’T SHOOT” written ON their hands.

RELATED: Hundreds of Montgomery County students walk out of schools, rally for gun reform on Capitol Hill

As I walked down the street with the student protesters towards the Capitol, I noticed a woman on sidewalk with tears running down her face. I heard a protester yell: “Mom!”

Annie Harold wrapped her arms around her daughter Liza. A senior at Washington-Lee High School, Liza is one of the student protesters marching for more stringent gun control laws. Watch her mom’s reaction to seeing Liza participate in this march.

Along the route from the White House to the Capitol I noticed something interesting. It was the adults, the passers-by, not the students that seemed to be moved to post about what they experienced in the moment, like’ Dona Weilber who was visiting from St. Louis, Missouri. 

GALLERY: Students walk out of class to push from stronger gun laws

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