When: Thursday, March 21 at 4:30 PM
Where: Harlem State Office Building, 163 West 125th Street off Adam Clayton Powell Blvd. (7th Ave.), New York City
New York Voices Against Gun Violence, a broad, newly-formed coalition of advocates, victims, youth organizations, healthcare workers, unions, elected officials, faith leaders and artists, announced today that they will hold a massive mobilization to promote the NY SAFE Act as a model for legislation at the federal level and in other states. Thousands of people will gather in New York City, and others will speak out across the state, to focus attention on the human toll of the gun violence that is plaguing our nation on a daily basis. The coalition includesMoms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America, the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence, Harlem Mothers S.A.V.E., New Yorkers Against Gun Violence, Doctors for America – NY State Chapter, 1199SEIU United Healthcare Workers East, Million Moms March and many other groups.
The coalition strongly supports the NY SAFE Act’s common sense protections, such as mental health and criminal background checks, tougher restrictions on assault weapons, limits on high-capacity ammunition and measures to keep guns out of schools. The NY SAFE Act, which was signed into law by Governor Andrew Cuomo last month, is designed to prevent the kinds of mass shootings plaguing our nation such as the tragedy at Sandy Hook Elementary School in which 20 children and seven adults were killed.
The Act will also help reduce the gun violence that has devastated families and communities in New York’s urban centers. There is new urgency to defend the NY SAFE Act as big weapons companies and the gun lobby have tried to build opposition and challenges to the law.
As the debate about gun violence continues throughout our nation, advocates say this massive effort will demonstrate the strong grassroots support for more common sense laws that protect children, families and communities.