Students rally for gun reform in cities across the US

In a historic groundswell of youth activism, hundreds of thousands of teenagers and their supporters rallied across the U.S. against gun violence Saturday, vowing to transform fear and grief into a “vote-them-out” movement and tougher laws against weapons and ammo.

They took to the streets of the nation’s capital and such cities as Boston, New York, Chicago, Houston, Minneapolis, Phoenix, Los Angeles and Oakland, California, in the kind of numbers seen during the Vietnam era, sweeping up activists long frustrated by stalemate in the gun debate and bringing in lots of new, young voices.

People on the balcony at the Newseum join with protesters on Pennsylvania Avenue as they look twoard the stage near the Capitol during the "March for Our Lives" rally in support of gun control in Washington, Saturday, March 24, 2018. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana)

Organizer Rasleen Krupp, 17, Wyoming High School, leads a "March for Our Lives" protest for gun legislation and school safety, Saturday, March 24, 2018, in Cincinnati. Students and activists across the country planned events Saturday in conjunction with a Washington march spearheaded by teens from Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla., where over a dozen people were killed in February. (AP Photo/John Minchillo)

An overflow crowd gathers in Central Park as people take part in a march and rally against gun violence along nearby Central Park West Saturday, March 24, 2018, in New York. Students and activists across the country planned events n conjunction with a Washington march spearheaded by teens from Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla., where 17 people were killed in February. (AP Photo/Craig Ruttle)

Connor Feliu of Syracuse N.Y., covered in red paint, attends the "March for Our Lives" rally in support of gun control in Washington, Saturday, March 24, 2018, on Pennsylvania Avenue near the U.S. Capitol. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana)

People hold their hands up with messages written on them during the "March for Our Lives" rally in support of gun control, Saturday, March 24, 2018, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

David Hogg, a survivor of the mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla., raises his fist after speaking during the "March for Our Lives" rally in support of gun control in Washington, Saturday, March 24, 2018. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)

A large crowd, joined by student marchers, rally at the State House in downtown Concord, N.H., during "March For Our Lives: Concord" on Saturday, March 24, 2018. Summoned to action by student survivors from Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla., hundreds of thousands of teenagers and their supporters rallied in the nation's capital and cities across the U.S. to press for gun control. (Elizabeth Frantz/The Concord Monitor via AP)

Emma Gonzalez, a survivor of the mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla., closes her eyes and cries as she stands silently at the podium and times the amount of time it took the Parkland shooter to go on his killing spree during the "March for Our Lives" rally in support of gun control in Washington, Saturday, March 24, 2018. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)

Kendall McKee, 11, left, and Amber R. are attend a pro-gun march designed to advocate for fortified schools and more armed teachers Saturday, March 24, 2018, in Salt Lake City. Hundreds of people are expected to march to the Utah state Capitol in separate protests aimed at improving school safety — in very different ways. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer)

Houston Police Chief Art Acevedo, center, and Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner, far right, join demonstrators during a "March for Our Lives" protest for gun legislation and school safety Saturday, March 24, 2018, in Houston. Turner has told several thousand people demonstrating for stricter gun control that adults have a responsibility to stand up and protect all children. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)

Brenda Myers, center, comforts her daughter Jamie, who is an Ooltewah Middle School student, after a moment of silence at a "March for Our Lives" rally in Coolidge Park on Saturday, March 24, 2018, in Chattanooga, Tenn. (Doug Strickland/Chattanooga Times Free Press via AP)

Daniel Akomolafe, 16, chants in Pittsfield, Mass., during a March For Our Lives protest that drew hundreds through the small New England town, Saturday, March 24, 2018. (Ben Garver / The Berkshire Eagle via AP)

Thousands of protesters march through the streets of Atlanta on Saturday, March 24, 2018. Participants in Atlanta and across the nation rallied against gun violence and in support of stricter gun control. (AP Photo/Ron Harris)

Edna Chavez of Manual Arts High, south of downtown Los Angeles, cries as she speaks during the "March for Our Lives" rally in support of gun control in Washington, Saturday, March 24, 2018. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)

Mary Pat Gunn, right, cheers this fellow demonstrators as Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner addresses the crowd during a "March for Our Lives" protest for gun legislation and school safety Saturday, March 24, 2018, in Houston. Turner has told several thousand people demonstrating for stricter gun control that adults have a responsibility to stand up and protect all children. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)

Daisy Hernandez, 22, of Stafford, Va., wrote "Don't Shoot," on her hands during the "March for Our Lives" rally in support of gun control, Saturday, March 24, 2018, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

People participate in a "March For Our Lives" rally at the state Capitol, Saturday, March 24, 2018, in Phoenix. Students and activists across the country planned events Saturday in conjunction with a Washington march spearheaded by teens from Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla., where over a dozen people were killed in February. (AP Photo/Matt York)

Ariana Grande performs "Be Alright" during the "March for Our Lives" rally in support of gun control in Washington, Saturday, March 24, 2018. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)

Naj Ali, a high school senior, holds a rose in memory of a person lost to gun violence during a rally before a march in favor of gun control Saturday, March 24, 2018, in Seattle. Summoned to action by student survivors from Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla., hundreds of thousands of teenagers and their supporters rallied in the nation's capital and cities across the U.S. on Saturday to press for gun control. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson)

Terri Robinowitz, center, holds a framed photo of her granddaughter Alyssa Alhadeff who was killed in the shootings at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, with Alyssa's parents, Lori Alhadeff and Ilan Alhadeff, right, as lawmakers and gun control activists gather at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, Friday, March 23, 2018, a day before the March for Our Lives rally Saturday. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

People hold banners during the "March For Our Lives" event in Paris, France, Saturday, March 24, 2018. The march is one of hundreds happening across the U.S. and the world to urge U.S. lawmakers to pass stricter gun safety legislation after deadly school shootings. (AP Photo/Michel Euler)

Isabel White of Parkland, Fla., holds a sign that reads "Americans for Gun Safety Now!" during the "March for Our Lives" rally in support of gun control in Washington, Saturday, March 24, 2018. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)

Demonstrators gather outside city hall during the March for Our Lives protest for gun legislation and school safety, Saturday, March 24, 2018, in Cincinnati. Students and activists across the country planned events Saturday in conjunction with a Washington march spearheaded by teens from Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla., where over a dozen people were killed in February. (AP Photo/John Minchillo)

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This gallery was curated by Donald King and Patrick Sison in New York.

Text from the AP news story, ‘Vote them out!’: Hundreds of thousands demand gun control, by Ashraf Khalil and Calvin Woodward.