A ‘Three Billboards’ Inspired Protest Has Taken Aim At US Gun Control
They read: "Slaughtered in school", "And still no gun control?" and "How come, Marco Rubio?".
Gun control campaigners in Florida have taken inspiration from the Oscar nominated film Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri to organise a protest in the wake of the school shooting that killed seventeen people.
Three mobile billboards were driven around near Floridian Senator Marco Rubio’s office. Created and installed by the online activist network Avaaz, the signs, read “Slaughtered in school”, “And still no gun control?” and “How come, Marco Rubio?”.
Three Billboards Outside Miami, Florida ✊? #3BillboardsForRubio pic.twitter.com/aLtlSaOfd6
— Avaaz (@Avaaz) February 16, 2018
The format echoed the Oscar-nominated film Three Billboards, where a mother (Frances McDormand) challenges authorities over justice for her daughter who was raped and murdered.
The protest highlighted the campaign donations that Senator Rubio has accepted from the National Rifle Association (NRA), who are powerful gun advocates.
“Florida has notoriously lax gun laws and Rubio, who is supported by the NRA, has never attempted to reform them.” said Emma Ruby-Sachs, Avaaz’s deputy director.
“The senator has taken fire across the country for his toothless response to the shooting, calling it ‘inexplicable’. We call that inexcusable.”
“There have been 334 mass shootings in last 12 months, and yet no new federal gun laws since 1994.”
Nikolas Cruz, a 19-year-old student has been charged with killing 17 people after a shooting spree at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland on Wednesday.
Reports say Cruz legally purchased the the assault rifle in Florida last year, after passing a background check.
Debate around US gun control has again opened after this recent shooting, which is the eighth school shooting that has caused death or injury this year alone.