Harry Styles is using his platform to speak out against gun violence in the United States. Following this week’s tragic shooting at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, the Grammy Award winner, revealed on Friday that he’ll be partnering with Everytown for Gun Safety on his upcoming Love On Tour. “Along with all of you, I have been absolutely devastated by the recent string of mass shootings in America, culminating at the latest in Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas. On our North American tour, we will be partnering with Everytown who work to end gun violence, donating to support their efforts and sharing their suggested action items,” Harry’s Instagram post reads.
“End gun violence,” was the only caption on the post. Styles will donate revenues from the tour, which will be matched by Live Nation, to the Everytown for Gun Safety Support Fund, according to The Hollywood Reporter. A data from Everytown Research & Policy was also included in the post, revealing that firearms are the greatest cause of death for children and teens in the United States. According to the organisation, 18,000 children under the age of 19 are shot each year, and about 3 million are exposed to gun violence.
Fans were also asked to join Everytown’s effort by texting “ACT” to 64433. The announcement comes after all 42 of his gigs, including the ten dates he added last week, sold out. Every penny raised will go to Everytown’s Guns Safety Support Fund, the organization’s education, research, and litigation arm. Selena Gomez and Taylor Swift, among others, were also in attendance.
A grocery store shooting in Buffalo, New York, killed ten Black people just over a week before Tuesday’s school massacre, which killed 19 pupils and two adults. After abandoning his vehicle nearby and entering the school at around 11:30 a.m., the Texas shooter, Salvador Ramos, 18, of Uvalde, was discovered dead on the scene.
Ramos shot his grandmother at her home before arriving at the school, and she was subsequently evacuated to a hospital. Chief of Police Pete Arredondo made the “poor judgement” in not addressing the gunman until more than 40 minutes after he entered the school, according to the Texas Department of Public Safety’s director.