SHELTON, Conn. (WTNH) — The Junior Newtown Action Alliance held a protest against the National Shooting Sports Foundation and its new headquarters in Shelton Saturday afternoon.
The Newtown Action Alliance and its student group have protested the National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF) since 2012, when 26 people were killed by a gunman at Sandy Hook Elementary School.
NSSF’s headquarters on Mile Hill Road was the location of several anti-gun violence protests. Now that NSSF’s headquarters moved to Shelton earlier this year, students believe the pressure shouldn’t let up.
“We want to let them know that they can’t hide even if they’re in a private corporate park on a private street” said Molly Zatlukal, Junior Newtown Action Alliance. “We’re still going to be here right in front of them, as close as we can get.”
The headquarters is now on Corporate Drive in Shelton. Protestors stood on the corner of Bridgeport Avenue and Commerce Drive with signs and posters, trying to get residents to know about NSSF being in their town.
“They don’t get talked about enough despite spending millions more than the NRA in the past few years,” said Morgan Harrison with the Junior Newtown Action Alliance.
In a statement issued Saturday evening, NSSF said they support the group’s right to protest.
Students also took part in a die-in by lying on the sidewalk in silence.
“Hopefully people seeing a bunch of kids mostly lying on the street was enough to connect the dots of what really happens especially because of the media coverage doesn’t show the truth aftermath,” said Harrison.
Most of the teens who were at Saturday’s protest were first graders in 2012 when the shooting at Sandy Hook took place. They said the shooting still impacts their lives, but they will still push for stricter gun laws.
“I think a lot of lost our innocence that day, feeling safe at school,” said Zatlukal. “We won’t stop until we get a federal assault weapon ban, we pass Ethan’s Law, we repeal the protection of lawful commerce and arms act and much more.”