Instead of returning to classes on Monday, hundreds of Michigan State University students chose to participate in a sit-in at the state Capitol. The peaceful protest comes nearly a week after a gunman killed three students and injured five others on campus.
Carrying protest signs, MSU students lined up in rows on the Capitol lawn to listen to speakers.
Asha Denny is a recent transfer student at MSU. She told the crowd she was not yet ready to go back to business as usual.
“How am I supposed to take a test with the same pencils I gripped in my hand and a desperate attempt to fight back against an intruder in my dorm where I'm supposed to feel safe," Denny said.
Denny was one of thousands of students who were forced to hide on campus for several hours last Monday night while an active shooter alert was in place.
Gabrielle Bane is a sophomore studying business. Last Monday, she spent several hours barricading herself inside a locked room in a building on campus.
“With this speech I ask for you to fight with us and for us," Bane said. "To bring justice to victims everywhere and help end gun violence through passing sensible gun laws and restricting who can gain access to firearms.”
Bane also urged university officials to consider installing devices to prevent anyone outside of the MSU community from entering buildings without a keycard.