An eerie hush descended on the grounds of Dunedin North Intermediate yesterday as hundreds of pupils filed in silence from their classrooms in a protest against gun violence.
The walk-out was led by 11-year-old Angus Fleming, with the school's permission, to also remember victims of a recent United States school shooting.
Similar walkouts were held at schools across the United States overnight (NZ time) with thousands of students taking part.
At 10am Angus rang the school bell and pupils and teachers left classrooms to form a giant circle on the sportsfield, with heads bowed for 17 minutes.
Each minute was for one of the 17 people who were killed in the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooting in Florida on February 14.
Angus said he saw a similar tribute on the internet, and was inspired to lead the protest as a show of solidarity with survivors of the shooting, who are campaigning for tighter gun controls in the United States.
"I talked about it at assembly and went round all the classes telling people what was happening."
The year 7 pupil said he agreed with the aims of survivors of the Marjory Stoneman Douglas shooting who had formed advocacy group "Never Again MSD'' to demand action on gun violence.
He hoped United States politicians would adopt similar gun legislation to New Zealand.
A good start would be an age limit of 21, a month-long cooling off period and mandatory training courses, he said.
Fellow year 8 pupil Oliver Thompson (12) echoed Angus' call for tighter gun control in the US, and said the protest served as a reminder of the relative safety New Zealanders enjoy.
"We have it really easy here,'' he said.
Year 8 pupil Birkita Ritchie (12) said she thought the moving vigil was a "really good idea.''
Principal Heidi Hayward said the protest had the school's full support, but staff took a hands-off approach and had no involvement in its organisation.
"It was just Angus,'' she said.
