Two men carrying rifles walked along University Avenue beside the University of Florida on Sept. 9, a demonstration the source report framed as raising awareness about gun rights in Florida. A UF student said the sight made her anxious.
What happened, per the source
The men were seen openly carrying rifles on the sidewalk next to UF’s campus, according to the source article. The source characterized the walk as a gun-rights demonstration and described the conduct as something participants “can” legally do. The source also stated there were no aggressive actions reported.
A student’s reaction
Yael Weinfeld, a 20-year-old UF public relations major, told the source that hearing about the rifle carriers made her think about how to stay safe. “You’re immediately thinking of what your next steps would be and how you could be safe and make sure that your loved ones are safe,” Weinfeld said.
She said she was in sixth grade when a gunman killed 17 people at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, across the street from her middle school, and later attended that high school. Calling the Sept. 9 demonstration “not appropriate,” she added, “especially considering that at UF, there are so many people who are from Parkland.”
What’s unclear
The source did not include official statements from law enforcement or university officials, did not identify the men, and did not provide independent confirmation of the specific legal basis for the rifle carry. The type of rifles was not confirmed in the source text.
All details above are drawn from the provided source material and quotations attributed in that report. Further verification is pending.
