Vancouver protesters demand end to gun violence at March for Our Lives rally

About 200 protesters in Vancouver rallied Saturday against gun violence, joining more than 800 marches around the world.

The March for Our Lives rally started at 10 a.m. at Jack Poole Plaza, where students gave impassioned speeches.

Protesters marched to the United States consulate before returning to the plaza.

Organizers, which included Democrats Abroad Vancouver and March on Vancouver, said they were marching in solidarity with U.S. students.

"The gun violence epidemic in America touches both Americans and Canadians living in Vancouver," said spokesperson Bodil Geyer in a release.

"You can't just stand silently and watch your neighbour go through a crisis like this."

At the same time, hundreds of thousands of people descended upon Washington, D.C., the epicentre of the rallies.

Pushing for gun-safety legislation

The rallies are a response to the Feb. 14 shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla, where 17 students and teachers were shot and killed.

Survivors of the shooting have launched a vocal campaign for the U.S. government to pass gun-safety legislation.

"The fact that we have terror in schools all around the world, but especially in the U.S., something needs to be changed," said Madison Browne at the Vancouver protest.

"Congress and the President, they're not listening. We need to make them listen somehow." ​

Annie Ohana, a teacher at LA Matheson Secondary School in Surrey, said the debate has sparked important discussions in classrooms.

The region has experienced a spate of gun violence in recent years.

"Because we live so close to the border, we certainly are affected by American policies around guns," Ohana said.