Diverse Coalition of Groups Will Gather to Challenge NRA on Assault Weapons
Contact: Alli McCracken, CODEPINK National Director, 860-575-5692, alli@codepink.org
Medea Benjamin, CODEPINK Co-founder, 415-235-6517, medea.benjamin@gmail.com
WASHINGTON, June 15, 2016 – On Monday, June 20, a diverse coalition of groups and activists will hold an overnight peace vigil in front of the National Rifle Association’s (NRA) offices to honor the 49 people killed in the tragic mass shooting this past weekend in Orlando and call for a ban on assault weapons.
Participants in the vigil will have 49 hearts to honor those slain in the horrific act, there will be a Muslim Iftar celebration to break the daily fast during the month of Ramadan at 8:30pm, a screening of the film Making a Killing: Guns, Greed and the NRAmade by Brave New Films at midnight, and a special ceremony will be held from 2:02am-5:00am, when the massacre and hostage-taking at the Pulse nightclub occurred. The coalition will stay until 9 am, when there will be a die-in/civil disobedience action at the front entrance.
CODEPINK will be joined by representatives of Muslim groups, LGBTQ groups, anti-gun violence organizations, mothers who have lost children to gun violence, peace groups, and individuals who have been directly affected by the epidemic of gun violence in this country. See the full list of endorsing organizations on the Facebook event. Busboys and Poets Restaurant will provide food for the Iftar meal.
WHAT: Overnight peace vigil at NRA Headquarters followed by a blocking of the entrance the next morning
WHEN: June 20 at 8 pm - June 21 at 9 am. Press photo opp at 8:30 pm Monday, and 9am Tuesday
WHERE: National Rifle Association, 11250 Waples Mill Rd., Fairfax, VA 22030
VISUALS: 49 cardboard hearts with names of the Orlando victims, candles, flowers, light brigade, bloody hands to signify the blood on the NRA’s hands, die-in
Participants, including the mothers who have lost children to gun violence, are available for interviews prior to the event.
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