March For Our Lives Milwaukee walks from county courthouse to Deer District

MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- Over 450 marches against gun violence across the world today were all part of March For Our Lives.

Hundreds marched from the Milwaukee County Courthouse to the Deer District as part of a local march.

"This is Milwaukee's march [Saturday], and we're showing up to demand that our lawmakers take action and pass universal background checks," said 22-year-old March For Our Lives Milwaukee Co-Organizer Teresa Murphy.

Murphy says they're focusing on that one objective now, but they're hoping to push beyond it to more community-based solutions and more restrictions as well.

March for Our Lives was founded after the Parkland shooting in 2018.

"That's a big reason that I joined March For Our Lives, because those students were my age and that really struck a chord with me," said Murphy.

People of all ages marched.

"When I was younger I felt like what people did made a difference," said Chris Gilbert.

She said she got involved in multiple anti-gun violence demonstrations after Uvalde because she thinks more needs to be done to address the issue.

"It's going to take an even bigger grassroots effort," said Gilbert.

Many people marching cited incidents like the Uvalde shooting as to why they chose to march today, many others say local gun violence here in Milwaukee is what motivated them.

"We should not have to live in fear of going to school, to the park, the movies, to gas stations, or even church," said Milwaukee High School student and activist Mia Moore.

Moore spoke on both national and local gun violence issues.

Universal background checks and voting out politicians opposed to making changes about gun laws was a common message from her and other speakers, including her father Reggie Moore, Medical College of Wisconsin Director of Violence Prevention and Policy Engagement.

"The time to act is not now, the time to act is not now, the time to act was literally two decades ago, three decades ago, five decades ago," said Reggie.

Many organizations like WAVE, 414 life, and Rise marched as well.

Deja Garner, educational fund director of equity and outreach for WAVE, says for them, many have faced gun violence in their lives.

She said solutions to the issue the country faces have been implemented elsewhere around the world.

"People don't have to live this way, we don't have to live in a country where gun violence is so prevalent," said Garner.