Bellevue student walked out to protest gun control supporters

When Bellevue High School students marched out of class this week, sophomore Charlie was with them. Amid the calls for gun control, Charlie held his own sign that read: “More guns, less crime.”

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Charlie is a sophomore at Bellevue High School who walked in opposition to the March 14 student walkout. (Nicole Thompson, KIRO Radio)

“I pushed through the crowd to get up to the front and I stood up there for about five seconds before someone came up and attempted to block me,” Charlie told KIRO Radio’s Dori Monson. “So I stood up there and held my sign and names were called at me. But I was standing up there for what I believe in.”

Charlie said that the Wednesday March 14 Bellevue High School walkout was student-led. The vast majority of students were calling for some form of gun control in the wake of yet another school mass shooting. He noted there were about 25 students in the back of the crowd, counter protesting. And there were some teachers walking about the crowd. Teachers were respectful. Some said that even if they don’t agree with him, they support his right to speak, too.

“I obviously feel terrible about what happened in Parkland, and I hope it never happens again,” Charlie said. “But I don’t believe in what they are protesting. I don’t believe we should take away all the guns and I don’t believe we should take away guns from law-abiding citizens. I don’t think that is right.”

“And I believe some people wanted all the guns in all of America to be taken away. Some people wanted much more strict background checks,” he said. “And honestly, I think some people were there just to walk out and leave class.”

“I wanted to show our senators that not every student believes in gun control or taking away guns,” he added. “There are people with different views.”