Hundreds of students in North Plainfield staged a walkout to protest the recent string of gun violence across the country.

Students at North Plainfield High School are calling on Congress to pass stricter gun safety legislation. It comes especially in the wake of the mass shooting at an elementary school in Uvalde, Texas.

"We decided to take a stand against gun violence and we decided to come together as a community and say a few words to inspire our student body to go out and vote for tighter gun legislation,” says junior Tamara Aguetese.

"We are the future voters and we are scared. We are scared of everything that's happening around us and we don't know who's next,” said Madeline, a junior at the school.

The walkout was organized by the North Plainfield High School Student Council.

While the walkout was happening, actor Matthew McConaughey delivered emotional remarks about gun violence during a White House Press briefing. The actor is a native of Uvalde.

“We need to restore American values and we need responsible gun ownership. We need background checks and red flag laws,” McConaughey said.

Gov. Phil Murphy praised McConaughey’s comments on Twitter.

Walkouts and rallies in support of gun reform are expected to take place on June 11. The Coalition for Peace Action is hosting events in 500 cities. A large one will be held in Princeton at 4 p.m. on Saturday.