The King County Council voted 6-3 to approve a largely symbolic motion supported a planned march to reduce gun violence.
The legislation, sponsored by Council Chair Joe McDermott, endorses the March for Our Lives this Saturday. The nationwide effort, includes a large protest and rally from Cal Anderson Park in Seattle, to the International Fountain at Seattle Center. It starts at 10 a.m.
McDermott's motion also urges Congress to "pass legislation to reduce gun violence and to ban assault-style weapons," and also make a change at the state level to allow local jurisdictions to change laws governing guns. McDermott called gun violence a "public health crisis."
The March will follow last week's student walkouts. Multiple students testified before the Council, asking them to pass the motion.
Three Council Members - all Republicans - Kathy Lambert, Pete Von Reichbauer, and Reagan Dunn - voted against the motion. Lambert cited the motion's language about a change in local laws, but also said there should be more focus on school construction as it relates to safety.
“I think we're talking about school safety we also need to be thinking about what policies we as a council are doing in saying all these buildings need to be taller, and bigger, with more staircases - so if there was a mass shooting, you've got kids coming down staircases and to me, that's just not safe," said Lambert, a former school teacher.
