Winfrey, Clooneys donate $1 mn against gun violence in US
Los Angles, Feb 21 (IANS) TV and entertainment icon Oprah Winfrey pledged to match actor George Clooney and his wife Amal in donating half a million dollars to students organising protests against gun violence in the US.
Winfrey wrote on Twitter that she “couldn’t agree more” with Clooney, who had said “our children’s lives depend on it”, and said she would donate the same amount to the ‘March For Our Lives’ fund, reports dailymail.co.uk.
On Tuesday, Clooney said he would attend the March protest with his wife, a human rights lawyer, as he praised the “courage and eloquence” of the survivors of a Florida school shooting that killed 17.
In a statement, Clooney said they would make the donation to ‘March For Our Lives’ in the names of their eight-month-old twins, Ella and Alexander.
Winfrey added on Twitter: “These inspiring young people remind me of the Freedom Riders of the 60s who also said we’ve had enough and our voices will be heard.”
Students have turned activists in the wake of the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School attack in Parkland, and have led calls for stricter gun controls in the country where school shootings have become a routine affair.
Students and parents affected by the massacre last week have set out on a demonstration in the state capital of Tallahassee on Wednesday.
The protest, led by students, will see demonstrators gather in Washington to call for new laws to prevent the “rampant” gun violence.
“Every kid in this country now goes to school wondering if this day might be their last. We live in fear,” its mission statement added.
The alleged gunman, 19-year-old former student Nikolas Cruz, is reported to have been legally sold the assault rifle used in the February 14 attack, despite having a history of mental health issues.
Survivors, stars and politicians have all called on the Republican Party and US President Donald Trump to impose stricter gun controls in the wake of the attack, which was the eighth school shooting to cause injury or death this year, dailymail.co.uk reported.
Students from several Florida high schools had staged a walk-out on Tuesday in a show of solidarity to the 14 students and three staff members, who were killed.