WASHINGTON — A group of students from Montgomery County swapped their classrooms Wednesday for the backdrop of the Capitol to call for change to existing gun legislation.

All were inspired by last week’s deadly shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Florida. A large number of those taking part in the protest came from Montgomery Blair High.

“There’s been so many school shootings and mass shootings and the government hasn’t done anything to try and stop the massive amount of guns that are being sold and how easily accessible they are,” one 9th grader told WTOP.

“It could happen to our school, it could happen to any school really, you never know,” she said.

Another student said he was taking part in the school walkout to put forward his belief that instant background checks should be routinely carried out.

He said he thought the protest would make those in Congress sit up and listen.

“I think it’s going to show people in Congress that students care about their safety and that something needs to be done for the students.”

Backing the students was Rep. Jamie Raskin, D-Md.

“We need a ban on military-style assault weapons,” Raskin told WTOP.

Some of the students said they plan on taking part in “March for our Lives” slated to take place on March 24 in D.C. The march will call for improved school safety and gun control.