Lansing public schools teacher Shari Apol was protesting downtown Tuesday evening when she caught sight of Michigan Senate Majority Leader Mike Shirkey heading to the state Capitol.
So she trailed the Clarklake Republican while he kept walking, holding her protest sign aloft and urging him to pass pending gun control bills.
"So that no more parents have to do a DNA swab to recognize which child of theirs is deceased from gun violence," Apol said, referencing a May 24 school shooting in Uvalde, Texas.
Shirkey simply responded "thank you" before walking into the building.
Apol says she supports legislation that would limit magazine capacity. Several Democratic-sponsored bills listed on her sign would require background checks for all types of gun purchases in Michigan, instead of just pistols.
Last month, state SenateRepublicans blocked an attempt by Democrats to force a floor vote on gun control bills, including requirements for safely storing firearms away from children. But in the wake of school shootings in Texas and Oxford, Michigan, lawmakers in Lansing have agreed to beef up spending on school security.
Chuck Alberts, the president of the Lansing Schools Education Association teachers' union, helped organize Tuesday's protest. Scores of school staffers and parents participated, with many calling for stricter gun laws and more mental health resources in schools.
“Fortifying our schools and turning them into fortresses isn't enough," Alberts said.