11,000 Broward County Teachers Invited To Fort Lauderdale Gun Show Protest

WLRN 91.3 FM | By Caitlin Switalski

Published March 6, 2018 at 8:59 PM EST

Before Tuesday evening’s Fort Lauderdale City Commission meeting, protesters gathered outside City Hall with signs asking motorists to honk if they wanted to end the gun shows that take place at Holiday Park eight times a year.

This was not Barbara Markley’s first gun show protest outside of Fort Lauderdale’s City Hall. It was her sixth. “I feel like this one is different because the community is activated,” Markley said. “Friends of mine who’ve been on the sidelines for the past year that I’ve been doing this, they’re all texting me, like ‘OK, I’m ready to do something now.' ”

Markley is a Fort Lauderdale resident who wants the gun shows at War Memorial Auditorium in the city-owned Holiday Park to end for good after the Parkland school shooting. This time she invited all 11,000 Broward County school teachers in the teachers’ union to come join in her protest.

Educators like Sarah Leonardi. She teaches 10th grade English at Nova High School.

“I hope they get rid of the gun show,” she said. “I hope that that the county can make a decision on banning assault rifles and high-capacity magazines. They can really do a lot.”

Also Read: Holiday Park Gun Shows Spark Protests At Fort Lauderdale City Commission Meeting

Mayor Jack Seiler did ask the gun show back in February to cancel its event in Holiday Park, scheduled for the weekend directly following the Parkland shooting.

The lease for the gun show to continue using War Memorial Auditorium will come before the commission for renegotiation on July 1.

To the commissioners, Markley read the following ode during public comment:

“Our commission sells guns although we object

They don't understand their job's to protect

Our children are dying from so much violence

But all the commission will offer is silence

They claim it's not them, they can't end the lease

But Broward & Palm Beach disagree.

Thirty years' worth of guns have caused us great harm

But the commission can't see a cause for alarm

They shrug and demur that they can't help at all

And then change the subject to pickle ball.”

This was the last meeting for Fort Lauderdale’s current commission and for nine-year Mayor Seiler. The next meeting for the new administration is scheduled for March 20.

Fort Lauderdale residents joined Barbara Markley and Broward County teachers, to advocate for an end to the 30-year-running city gun show in Holiday Park.

Anne-Marie Doyle and her daughter, Macy, came to join in the protest. Doyle is a third-grade Broward County teacher who hopes to see all assault-style weapons banned at the county level.

Barbara Markley, organizer of the protest, held up the 'honk' sign at her sixth gun show protest in front of city hall.