Texas massacre: Protesters rally outside NRA convention as Trump calls for teachers to be armed

Trump told the gun lobby Democrats were to be blamed for trying to politicise the school shooting that left 19 children and two teachers dead

The former president also called on ‘top to bottom’ security overhaul at schools and said teachers should be allowed to concealed carry

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Donald Trump speaks during the Leadership Forum at the NRA Annual Meeting in Houston. Photo: AP

Published: 10:05am, 28 May 2022Updated: 10:10am, 28 May 2022

Former US President Donald Trump read the name of each of the Texas school shooting victims at a speech on Friday at the annual convention of gun rights advocacy group NRA in Houston, and called the Uvalde shooting a “savage and barbaric atrocity that shocks the conscience of every single American”.

In his speech, Trump blamed Democrats for trying to politicise the massacre at the primary school that left 19 children and two teachers dead. He said the US must drastically change its approach to mental health.

The former president also called on “top to bottom” security overhaul at schools and said teachers should be allowed to concealed carry.

“There is no sign that is more inviting to a mass killer than a sign that says gun-free zone,” Trump said. “The existence of evil is one of the very best reasons to arm law-abiding citizens.”

Gun control advocates protest outside the NRA convention venue in Houston, Texas. Photo: Getty Images/AFP

Outside the convention, hundreds of protesters gathered throughout the day with signs reading “Protect Kids Not Guns” and “Ban Assault Weapons Now!”.

The scene reflected the mood of a deeply divided country, with NRA opponents and supporters arrayed on opposite sides of the street, hard against two sets of barricades, with dozens of Houston police in between.

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