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tarmacadamsurfacingcontractors · 6 years

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Meet our NHS

Kalliopi Kolagki, front centre, with colleagues at Watford General © Jess Hurd

Kalliopi Kolagki is a nurse in the Accident and Emergency ward of Watford General Hospital. Originally from Greece, she’s been in Watford for 18 months and is one of hundreds of EU workers on the hospital staff. She’s enthusiastic and professional, and speaks of her experience as “very positive”. But she also has a very particular anecdote that speaks volumes about today’s NHS, for good and ill.

“On the shop floor – that’s how we talk of A&E – I’ve seen a certain change of behaviour since Brexit, from patients and relatives,” she says. “Because nowadays, they usually ask you where you come from.

“We had one patient, she was elderly, with back pain, who kept on saying, ‘I’m not going to receive care from anyone who doesn’t come from this country’. To be honest, A&E is multi-cultural. Italian to Spanish to Indian – you name it, we have it. And it was kind of impossible to find anyone who wasn’t from somewhere else.”

If Kalli was offended, she’s hiding it with laughter. “We did eventually find someone English for her. We don’t throw people out.”

Watford’s branch secretary Jason Flintras, who is also a nurse from Greece, estimates that more than 50% of all the hospital staff – and 60% of the nurses – are EU workers.

“I hear lots of people saying, ‘European people come and take our jobs’. But I don’t see many British people willing to get involved in nursing, I don’t see many British people willing to do the housekeeper’s job, the cleaner’s job. It’s not that we come to steal the jobs – the vacancies are there, we just apply, and there isn’t enough competition. I think [NHS trusts] would hire anyone applying for a nursing job as long as they are qualified.”

Jason observes that “no sane person would consider committing to nursing with the conditions that you have at the moment in the UK”, citing the government’s removal of the NHS bursary for nurse training and the under-staffing and stress of the job itself. Ironically, what is deemed a poor prospect for British people is an opportunity for someone from Greece, Italy or Spain – whose governments pay for their training but can’t employ them. “So in a way the UK is benefitting from those countries’ distress,” he says.

This has been one of the conundrums of Brexit: the people whose lives have been thrown into disarray by the decision to leave Europe are essential to our public services.

And Jason asks a question posed by many of his colleagues on the wards: “If one day all the European nurses had to be deported, who would look after the patients?”

There are still negotiations about how this process will be, and UNISON gives us the voice in those negotiations

The general acceptance today is that EU workers will not have to leave the UK after Brexit. But despite government assurances, it’s understandable that many of those staff at Watford General continue to have questions and concerns.

How do they register for what the government is now calling ‘settled status’? What happens if they make a mistake or don’t have the documents to prove their time here? What happens to their workplace rights? Their families? How will racism and discrimination develop in a country in this new era of ‘us and them’?

And if the British government could change its mind about the Windrush generation, how can Europeans feel any more secure?

No workplace illustrates the benefits of the European workforce, and the uncertainty caused by Brexit better than the NHS.

Hospitals like Watford clearly couldn’t do without its team of trained and conscientious healthcare professionals. But it was recently reported that almost 10,000 EU NHS workers have left since the Brexit vote. One in five European doctors have made plans to leave the UK. And official figures have shown that the number of nurses from the EU registering to work in the UK has dropped by 96%.

One additional reason for the drop-off in nurse registrations is the Nursing & Midwifery Council’s introduction, in the same year as the referendum, of the IELTS language test for EU nurses which, by all accounts, has been near impossible to pass.

Jason, whose English is impeccable, has nevertheless struggled with it himself, meaning that he remains a transitional nurse, without the pay and career progression that would come with registration.

It’s a dilemma that affects a handful of the staff UNISON met on the wards – young people who were approached by recruitment agencies in their own countries, invited to work in the UK but given obstacles to progression and, with Brexit, doubts about their future.

I believe that the NHS is one of the greatest healthcare systems in the world, so I said to myself – why not give it a go?

But Jason remains determined and pragmatic. He joined UNISON because he saw the union trying to make sense of Brexit for its members, then started campaigning himself for the rights of EU citizens, and is now branch secretary.

Right now, his chief advise to his NHS colleagues is to follow suit.

“Try to get a bit more involved. Lots of people who are affected by Brexit didn’t get a chance to vote and have their say. But through UNISON you can interact with MPs, you can lobby, you can demonstrate, and you can educate others about how Brexit will affect them.

“Everyone has to go through the settled status process. And the more active and involved they are with the union, and express their worries and their feelings, the easier it is for us to take their issues to a higher level.

“There are still negotiations about how this process will be, and UNISON gives us the voice in those negotiations.”

Mia Magklavani, 29, paediatrics staff nurse, from Greece

Mia had been working as a nurse in Greece for six years, when she came to the UK in December 2016.

“I came here to develop and become a better nurse. I believe that the NHS is one of the greatest healthcare systems in the world, so I said to myself, ‘Why not give it a go?’ And it was a good decision.

“I do feel very blessed to have the opportunity to work in a paediatrics ward. Caring is great, but the fulfilment that you feel is greater when you’re helping a child. And I definitely don’t want that to end.

“Before I came to the UK, I had ex-colleagues who were already here. They were settled, they liked the environment, they said people were accepting of us coming from other countries. But that was way back, before the volcano of Brexit.

“As a person I try not to over-worry. But I’ve started not feeling safe, in a way. It’s been hard work to get where I am. I just wish things will develop in a way that means I will be still be able to do what I love and offer all that I can.”

Ioannis Bastas, 29, orthopaedic charge nurse, from Greece

Ioannis is on his second period in the UK. Previously he worked in a London care home. He has been at Watford General since February 2016.

“I was assigned to this ward because of my previous experience in a care home. The ward is mostly elderly people, with fractured hips. Many have dementia. They need reassurance, and you need to be patient with them.

“I really like working with elderly people. Each patient is different, each is quite challenging. Even small things make them happy, and the smile they give you is a big reward.

“The NHS needs people, they need foreigners. I don’t think we have any English nurses on my ward – we have Spanish, Italian, Indian, from the Philippines, Romania. Only one staff member is English.

“So I’m not concerned, because if they let everyone who is not a UK citizen leave the NHS, it would just collapse.”

Roberto Nuzzi, 28, assistant practitioner in endocrinology, from Italy

Roberto came to the UK in January 2017, immediately after completing his nursing training in Italy. Like many, he has had his progress blocked by his difficulty in passing the IELTS test. He came with his partner, who is working as a waitress.

“I applied for a band 5 job. This is 4. I was assured the test was easier. Honestly, IELTS is a nightmare, it has a fail rate of 90%.

“That test has just been replaced. The problem is the new one is four times more expensive. It’s £400. And I have to study on my own because they don’t provide us with courses.

“Brexit scares me a lot because my plan was to come to UK, develop my job and build my family. So when you discover that you may not have rights in the country you have chosen to live in and you may be discriminated against – even if it’s not on purpose – you don’t know what to do.

“People who have lived 10, 20 years in this country are just leaving. So I’m thinking: am I not catching the danger signals?”

Cristiane Soares, 44, housekeeper, from Brazil

Cristiane is Brazilian, but came to the UK in January 2016 with her Portuguese passport, which she has through her grandfather. Her husband works as a finance assistance at a nearby school. They have two sons.

“I was a civil engineer in Brazil for eight years. We left because of the violence. My oldest son, he was 15, was robbed five times coming back from school. I had the chance to live here. I knew it was possible to have a job like this and survive.

“I didn’t come here for the money. I just came here for the quality of life. And for me it’s good, because my son can go out safely at night and I can sleep. And my younger son, who is just six, has been discovered by a Chelsea scout – I’ve never seen a kid play football like him.

“This country gave me a possibility to survive and to have security for my sons. And they are having a good education here. Day by day our life is going to improve. I’m hoping that when my English is better I can start to do a better job.

“I don’t believe that they are going to make Europeans leave. I’m just worried about my [eldest] son. If he wants to go to university I don’t know if he will be have access to university loans. The loan now is for people who are working in EU countries.”

Jan Frydrych, 19, healthcare assistant, from Poland

Jan moved to the UK when he was 10, with his mother, step-father and sister. He’s been a healthcare assistant at Watford since April 2017.

“I would say Britain is my home. I have all my friends here, all my colleagues and most of my family are here. I’ve grown up here, I’ve learned here, I developed here. I’m a bit concerned about what’s going to happen after 2019, but I’ve been here for a while, so I guess that’s better than for some.

“There have always been one or two [racist] comments. But there’s been an increase, in general, since Brexit. And there are so many of us Polish people here. I think people are scared of those numbers.

“Some people believe that Britain ‘will be British again’. But what does that really mean? I think America and Britain are alike in that way, there are so many different cultures, and so many different people who became American, became British, it’s a big, big family.”

Omar Federico Ficarra, 24, transitional nurse in the acute admissions unit, from Italy

Omar has been a transitional nurse at Watford since January 2017. He too is having difficulty passing his language test and therefore becoming a registered nurse.

“I came here because of the unemployment in Italy. It’s very difficult for nurses to find a job there. I saw an advert on a website, for a job in Watford, had an interview and passed. So I jumped on this adventure with my girlfriend. She is also a transitional nurse, on another ward.

“The multi-culturalism is something I actually love about this country, and this hospital. Because it’s not something that is common at all in Italy, in Italy we have almost only Italian staff, Italian nurses, doctors, whatever. Here instead I can see many other realities. I’m very happy with it. To me it’s a step forward for a culture. I prefer it.”

Antonio De Martino, a senior staff nurse in A&E, from Italy

Antonio (above, with A&E colleague Kalliopi Kolagki) served in the Italian army, before changing career to nursing. He worked first in Italy, and has been at Watford General for three years.

“A&E is the only place, the only job, the only lifestyle that makes me feel that I’m doing the right thing. It makes me feel that I can actually make a difference for people in need. You have to be spot on, on top of the wave all of the time.

“This job has given me the opportunity to do a lot of things. Right now, I’m buying a flat. Because the NHS is so short of healthcare professionals, I don’t worry that my job is at risk, or that I am at risk. Whatever happens, you are useful. I know my knowledge, my skills and capabilities, my motivation – and these make me feel safe.”

Elisavet Karampasidi, 23, transitional nurse on a surgical ward, from Greece

Elisavet had the foresight to take her language test before leaving Greece, only for the Nursing & Midwifery Council to lose her documents. As a result, she has been unable to register for more than a year.

“My ward is general surgery, light orthopaedic and urology. I like it because it’s fast and you have a plan – patients are pre and post op, they go, they come back, you take care of them, they leave. It’s a fast process and every part of it has to hit the mark. And I find it fascinating.

“I would be happy here if I had my [registration] pin. I have support from the hospital to understand what went wrong and to get registered finally.

“What scares me is the unknown. When the time comes I will just have to decide if I’m willing to accept the changes and try to preserve my life, my job, or that it’s not worth it and I should go to another European country, or back home.”

Mariana De La Rua Rico, maternity ward clerk, from Spain

Mariana has lived in the UK for 15 years. She worked first in hospitality and then, on returning to work after having two children, she joined Watford General. Her husband is a general manager in a hotel.

“I first came here because I wanted to improve my English. I got a return ticket for six months, but then I met my husband here. He’s Dutch, and this is common ground for us, speaking English and not each other’s language, so we decided it was a good place to stay.

“At first I found the EU referendum shocking. I thought, ‘Really?’ England is one of those countries with a good economy, which receives immigrants to work here. I don’t think the vote was necessarily against anybody coming to the country, it was more about politics and how things are run. At the same time, who are the easiest to blame – the weakest, the newcomers, the ones you can identify as not yours.

“I’ve never been afraid that I couldn’t stay, because I’ve been here a long time, I own a house, and I’ve kept most of my paperwork, just because I’m like that. But other people don’t – your P60s, your P45s, all those things, you don’t keep them. And when Europeans came we came legally, and we didn’t need all that. Now they say you need to prove you’ve been here for five years. It’s the same as Windrush – it’s a bit too late.

“But actually, we are leaving. My husband was not happy in his job and started looking for something. And he found a job in Holland.

“He was looking for a job at the same level as here in the UK. Although he has a lot of experience, and had a lot of interest, it always came back to ‘thank you, but no thank you’. Because employers are unsure about how it’s going to pan out with Brexit, it’s easier to go with the English person than with the one who has to have a visa to stay.

“Our kids speak English. And if you ask them, they say ‘I’m British’. But now they need to learn Dutch.”

What now?

The government has said that all EU citizens and their families who have been in the UK for five years by the end of 2020 will be able to apply for ‘settled status’, which will allow them to continue living and working in the UK indefinitely.

Those who have been here for less than five years will be able to apply for a temporary residence permit until they have built up enough years to apply for settled status.

In June, Home Secretary Sajid Javid said that the government’s “default” position would be to grant, not refuse such applications.

However, UNISON remains cautious. Questions remain about the application process. And EU citizens could still be at risk if the UK government and the EU fail to reach a final deal by Brexit day on 29 March 2019.

UNISON is recommending that members do not voluntarily register at this stage.

What they can do is keep as many documents as possible showing the continuity of their time in the UK. We suggest using the settled status checklist provided by the3million on its website: www.the3million.org.uk/checklist.

We are also updating our guidance Getting Ready for Settled Status to assist the union’s EU members, which will be available on the UNISON website and sent to branches in due course.

Images: © Jess Hurd

The article Meet our NHS first appeared on the UNISON National site.

from UNISON National https://www.unison.org.uk/news/magazine/2018/08/meet-our-nhs/ via IFTTT

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denvergoldmine · 6 years

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The Latest: Columbine survivors join Denver march

Thousands of protesters look at at a rally following a march in favor of gun control at the Seattle Center Saturday, March 24, 2018, in Seattle. Summoned to action by student survivors of the Florida school shooting, hundreds of thousands of teenagers and their supporters rallied in the nation’s capital and cities across America on Saturday to press for gun control in one of the biggest youth protests since the Vietnam era. (Elaine Thompson/Associated Press)

WASHINGTON — The Latest on student-led protests against gun violence (all times Eastern Daylight Time):

7:15 p.m.

A contingent of survivors of the 1999 Columbine High School shooting is among the thousands of marchers at a gun control rally in Denver.

Students and their supporters packed into Civic Center Park near the state Capitol for a rally Saturday afternoon before spilling out onto streets through downtown. They held signs like “The Second Amendment Needs Amending” and “Prayers are Not Enough.”

Sixteen-year-old Columbine student Kalli Honeycutt, says her mother, who survived that shooting, has drilled it into her head to always be on the lookout.

Honeycutt says she is demonstrating because she wants lawmakers to make it harder for people to get guns and cause tragedies like school shootings.

Survivors of last month’s Florida school shooting have described themselves as the “mass-shooting generation,” noting that they were born after the Columbine shooting.

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5:50 p.m.

High school students led thousands of protesters in Seattle on Saturday, part of a nation-wide youth movement demanding tighter gun regulation in the wake of a Florida school shooting that left 17 people dead.

Students held signs reading “Not One More” and chanted “Right now, right here, we refuse to live in fear.” Teachers protested President Donald Trump’s proposal to arm some of them in order to protect students from potential attackers.

Much of the protest was directed at the National Rifle Association.

“I want to know that they care more about lives than profit, the NRA,” said Naa’Rai Taison, a 19-year-old student at Cornish College of the Arts. “We can still hold on to our traditions without having to lose lives.”

Similar “March for Our Lives” events were held at other cities across the country Saturday by demonstrators spurred to action in the wake of school shootings and other gun violence.

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5:10 p.m.

Dueling rallies were held at the same time in Helena, Montana, by gun-control and gun-rights advocates.

At the gun-control rally, two teen sisters who helped organize the protest said they felt hope for the first time after the Parkland, Florida shooting survivors advocated for change.

“Finally, somebody was doing something about it, except it wasn’t who you’d expect — it was us,” Mariah Thomas, 17, said to cheers. “It was students my own age who decided they wanted to put an end to gun violence.”

Across town outside the Montana Capitol, a smaller crowd of gun-rights advocates swore that no outsiders would dictate gun laws in Montana. One speaker, Montana State University student Joey Chester, drew boos when he referenced the other protest.

“If something went wrong there, the first people to show up are going to be people with guns,” Chester said.

The gun-control advocates gathered in Montana were among hundreds of thousands rallying nationwide at “March for Our Lives” events on Saturday. The events are intended to rally support for stricter gun control laws in the wake of school shootings.

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4:10 p.m.

Pro-gun activists held counter-protests at some cities across the western United States on Saturday, even as hundreds of thousands of people rallied at gun control events at the same time.

In Salt Lake City, Utah about 500 pro-gun marchers walked to the state Capitol building, advocating for fortified schools and more armed teachers. An hour later, about 6,000 anti-gun violence demonstrators marched the same route in a call for more gun regulations.

About two dozen gun-rights supporters staged a counter-protest in Phoenix, Arizona, holding flags and sometimes challenging opponents to debate gun issues.

They were far outnumbered, however — the Arizona Department of Public Safety estimates that 15,000 people attended the “March for Our Lives” gun-control rally at the state Capitol. Two of the student organizers of the event opened it by urging young people to register to vote and boot out officeholders who won’t act.

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3:35 p.m.

Chin high and tears streaming, Florida school shooting survivor Emma Gonzalez stood silent in front of thousands gathered for the “March for Our Lives” rally in Washington, D.C.

She continued to stand silently as a few crowd members shouted out support. She remained silent as tentative chants broke out. Her silence continued as those attending also fell quiet, many weeping.

The gripping moment stretched for 6 minutes and 20 seconds, the amount of time Gonzalez said it took a school shooter to kill 17 people and wound many others at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, last month.

Gonzalez is one of several teens from the school to become gun control activists in the wake of the shooting. Their efforts have galvanized youth nationwide, with hundreds of thousands attending similar rallies across the country.

Gonzalez wrapped up the Washington, D.C. rally with some homework for those who demonstrated nationwide:

“One final plug,” she said. “Get out there and vote.”

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3:15 p.m.

Fifteen-year-old Brooke Solomon led thousands of demonstrators in a march through the downtown streets of Detroit. Ten-year-old Jack Thorne attended a similar event in Atlanta, Georgia with his mom. South Salem High School student Allison Hmura told protesters in Salem, Oregon that students shouldn’t have to learn to “duck and cover.”

The youths were among hundreds of thousands at “March for Our Lives” events nationwide calling for stricter gun control in response to school shootings and gun violence.

“I’m here marching for the thousands of under-represented black and brown kids, especially in Detroit,” said Solomon, who wants background checks in all gun sales. “I’m looking for tougher gun laws and legislation that includes banning semi-automatic and assault weapons.”

In Atlanta, Thorne held aloft a sign reading “Guns Don’t Kill People. Ummm… Yes They Do,” as he described how he and his classmates recently underwent active shooter drills in school.

And Hmura called on the nearly 2,400 people gathered at the Salem rally to fight for change.

“There cannot be two sides to our safety in school where we should be learning, growing and making friends — not learning how to duck and cover,” Hmura said.

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3 p.m.

U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio said in a prepared statement Saturday that he supports demonstrators’ rights to march at anti-gun rallies across the country, but called for activists to find common ground with opponents.

“While protests are a legitimate way of making a point, in our system of government, making a change requires finding common ground with those who hold opposing views,” the Republican from Florida said.

Rubio’s district includes Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, where 17 people were killed in a school shooting last month. He said that a ban on bump stocks (used to make guns fire more rapidly), improvements to the gun background check system and other efforts were achieved by finding common ground with those who don’t want certain gun bans.

“And finding common ground is what it will take to pass our red flag law so we can take guns away from dangerous people,” Rubio said.

Hundreds of thousands of people in cities across the United States are attending “March for Our Lives” rallies, calling on lawmakers to enact legislation to help stop school shootings and reduce gun violence.

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2:20 p.m.

Thousands of people are flooding the streets of downtown Los Angeles to demand stricter gun laws in the U.S.

The rally was one of several being held across California and the United States on Saturday.

Protesters held signs and chanted as they marched to Los Angeles City Hall for the “March for Our Lives” rally.

Zoe Lopez, a 15-year-old high school freshman from Garden Grove, said she’s attending the rally to demand additional regulations on gun purchases.

In Sacramento, thousands chanted: “hey, hey, ho, ho, the NRA has got to go” as they assembled at the state’s capitol.

Rallies in Oakland and San Diego also drew hundreds of demonstrators.

Similar rallies were being held in cities across America to march for gun control and ignite political activism among teenagers.

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2:10 p.m.

The granddaughter of civil rights icon Martin Luther King Jr. told tens of thousands of “March for Our Lives” demonstrators gathered in Washington, D.C. that she too has a dream — for a gun-free world.

“I have a dream that enough is enough,” Yolanda Renee King said, referencing her grandfather’s famous speech. “That this should be a gun-free world. Period.”

The crowd roared in response. The Washington, D.C. event has thousands thronging Pennsylvania Avenue to hear speakers including survivors of the recent school shooting in Parkland, Florida, and singers like Miley Cyrus.

Hundreds of thousands of people attended youth-led, anti-gun rallies across the United States and the world on Saturday, calling on lawmakers to tighten gun control in order to stop mass shootings and gun violence.

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1:55 p.m.

Hundreds of students from Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School arrived for the Washington, D.C. march on three flights donated by Delta Air Lines.

They’ll return to Florida with Delta after the march too.

The airline, which broke ties with the National Rifle Association after last month’s school shooting that left 17 dead, said they offered the round-trip charter flights “as part of our commitment to supporting the communities we serve.

After the shooting in Parkland, Delta said it would no longer offer discounted fares to NRA members to reflect its neutral status on the gun-control debate.

The move triggered a backlash from gun advocates, and the state of Georgia killed a proposed tax break on jet fuel in retaliation.

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1:45 p.m.

A series of protests held across the United States Saturday in support of gun control is shaping up to be one of the biggest youth protests since the era of the Vietnam War.

The “March for Our Lives” rallies are a call to action by student survivors of last month’s school shooting in Florida that left 17 people dead.

At Washington’s “March for Our Lives” rally, throngs jammed Pennsylvania Avenue for blocks. Tens of thousands of teenagers and their supporters roared their approval as survivors of the Parkland, Florida, assault spoke from the stage. One of them, Delaney Tarr, laid down the students’ central demand, a ban on assault-type weapons, and declared “We will continue to fight for our dead friends.”

The Washington crowd was well into the tens of thousands. A vast crowd also rallied in New York City and large marches unfolded in Boston, Chicago, Houston, Minneapolis and scores of other cities. More than 20,000 rallied in Parkland near the school.

___

1:35 p.m.

Hundreds of thousands of demonstrators at student-led anti-gun rallies held across the United States on Saturday were joined by counterparts the world over.

In Paris, France about 100 demonstrators rallied near the Eiffel Tower in solidarity with the American “March for Our Lives” events.

Caitlin Waters, co-organizer of the Paris event, said it’s important for Americans overseas to let Washington know that they want more gun control. Similar rallies were planned in New Zealand, Japan and other countries around the world.

In the United States, rallies stretched from sea to shining sea, with people marching in huge cities like Los Angeles and New York City as well as in smaller ones like Boise, Idaho and Omaha, Nebraska.

___

1 p.m.

Prominent civil rights leader U.S. Rep. John Lewis says that the student-led, anti-gun protests occurring across the United States remind him of the early days of the civil rights era.

“I think it’s amazing,” Lewis said in an interview with The Associated Press. “They will be the leaders of the 21st century.”

Lewis joined the “March for Our Lives” protest in Atlanta, Georgia, one of several anti-gun rallies being held across the U.S. on Saturday in response to last month’s Florida school shooting and other mass shootings.

The Democrat also implored his Republican colleagues in Congress to “come to the right side” and to pass meaningful gun-control legislation.

Lewis wore a button with a large red letter “F’’ on it, proudly displaying the grade he said he has received from the NRA. Lewis said hundreds of Democratic members of the House were wearing them today.

___

12:35 p.m.

Tens of thousands gathered at a “March for Our Lives” rally in New York City on Saturday held a moment of silence to honor 17 people killed during a school shooting in Florida just last month.

Sam Hendler, a 16-year-old student from Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, was at the rally to read the victims’ names.

Another MSD student, Meghan Bonner, told the demonstrators that she wasn’t surprised when she learned the identity of the shooter because it was obvious something was wrong with him.

“There was so much more that could have been done to prevent this,” she said, fighting back tears. “I want to see change.”

The rally in midtown Manhattan is one of several being held across the United States on Saturday in response to gun violence.

____

11:55 a.m.

The mayor of Houston, Texas told thousands of demonstrators at a “March for Our Lives” rally that adults have a responsibility to protect all children.

Mayor Sylvester Turner spoke at the Tranquillity Park event Saturday morning, one of several anti-gun rallies being held across the U.S. on Saturday in response to last month’s school shooting in Florida and other mass shootings.

“We have a responsibility for those of us as adults, we have a responsibility to stand up and protect our children,” said Turner.

Turner also chanted with the crowd “Now is the time” to “do the right thing.”

___

11:15 a.m.

Students chanted “enough is enough” and held up signs with slogans like “our ballots will stop bullets” at a rally in Parkland, Florida, where 17 people were killed in a school shooting last month.

More than 20,000 people filled the park near Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School for the “March for Our Lives” rally Saturday morning.

Others from the area traveled to Washington, D.C., where the main “March for Our Lives” event is being held. New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft let over 100 people, including families of victims of the Parkland shooting, use the team’s charter plane for the trip.

Team spokesman Stacey James says astronaut Mark Kelly reached out to Kraft for the favor.

“It’s a hard thing to say no to, especially involving these victims,” James said.

___

10:40 a.m.

More than 20,000 people are expected at the “March for Our Lives” rally nearest the Florida school where last month’s deadly shooting occurred.

Police presence was heavy early Saturday at a park near Marjory Stoneman Douglas High as organizers set up and demonstrators streamed in.

Eighteen-year-old Sabrine Brismeur and 17-year-old Eden Kinlock came from schools 20 miles away to pass out water.

Kinlock said that may seem “like a small thing but it helps in the bigger picture.”

___

10:35 a.m.

The White House is applauding “the many courageous young Americans exercising their First Amendment rights” at gun control marches in Washington and in cities around the nation.

White House spokeswoman Lindsay Walters says “keeping our children safe is a top priority” of President Donald Trump and points to his calls on Congress to pass legislation related to expanded background checks and school safety.

Trump is at his Florida home for the weekend. His motorcade took him to his West Palm Beach golf club on Saturday morning as hundreds of thousands of people were preparing for marches after the deadly mass shooting in Parkland, Florida.

The president has ordered the Justice Department to ban bump stock devices that enable guns to fire like automatic weapons.

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9:10 a.m.

Dozens of protesters are rallying outside the U.S. Embassy in London in solidarity with the “March for Our Lives” protest against gun violence.

Students, families with children and other protesters raised placards reading “Protect kids not guns,” ‘’Never again,” and “Enough is enough” Saturday outside the new embassy building in south London.

Amnesty International U.K.’s director Kate Allen referred to the 1996 school killings at Dunblane Primary School in Scotland, in which 16 students and a teacher were killed.

She said: “After our own school shooting at Dunblane, new gun ownership laws were introduced in Britain and that’s exactly what’s needed in the United States, where gun deaths are a national tragedy.”

Hundreds of marches are planned in U.S. cities and dozens of locations abroad.

___

1 a.m.

With thousands of demonstrators gathering in Washington, organizers of the March for Our Lives rally say the country has reached a historic emotional tipping point on gun violence.

They predict a half-million demonstrators Saturday near the U.S. Capitol building for a several-hour rally. That would match last year’s women’s march and make it one of the largest Washington protests since the Vietnam War era.

A poll conducted by The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research shows that 69 percent of respondents and half of Republicans now favor stronger gun control laws.

Activists are looking to channel the energy of this youth-led initiative into the midterm congressional elections this fall with elements like on-site voter registration booths.

This story has been changed to correct that Jack Thorne was at a march in Atlanta, not Savannah, Georgia and the spelling of Tranquillity Park in Houston, Texas.

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