Gun show and gun control rally both scheduled in Lee County on Saturday

Hundreds are expected in downtown Fort Myers marching for gun control Saturday morning in the wake of recent mass shootings, while one of the biggest gun shows in Southwest Florida gets underway just across the river.

The Lee Civic Center, located at 11831 Bayshore Road in North Fort Myers, is expected to see thousands show up to look at and purchase guns.

Madison Franz, organizer of the March for Our Lives, says the fact that the gun show is still going on as planned serves as a call to action.

“I want to amplify voices that haven’t been heard. So we will have survivors from recent mass shootings who are speaking, we will have local parents, students, such as myself, who are sharing their perspectives,” Franz said.

After the shooting at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, Franz says she knew she needed to push for gun control here in Florida. She scheduled the rally for 11 a.m. in downtown Fort Myers, where Parkland shooting survivors, educators and students will speak about the need for gun legislation in the state.

Franz says a gun show less than half an hour away should not be happening.

“I need to bite my tongue on this one… how do I say this nicely?” Franz said. “I think it is extremely disheartening, from my perspective, that we have seen these recent events. We have heard all these things on the news, we have seen parents and even other students come forward and see that trauma is very evident, and that event is still taking place.”

Franz says she recognizes people’s Second Amendment rights but feels change won’t happen unless everyone is on the same page.

The Fort Myers Police Department said they have worked with the organizers of the march to make sure everyone is safe.

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