It’s quite astonishing how quickly politicians lose sympathy after tragedies when they realise the solution challenges their own allegiances or interests. Recently when Stormzy asked for more money for the victims of Grenfell – a tragedy that at the time the government called a “failure of the state” – he was lambasted by right-wing press, a Conservative-run youth account, and a Tory MP called him “boring”.

Similarly the teens who are still healing from the horrific events of Stoneman Douglas High School have been subject to character assassination online and hate mail. A Republican candidate has now taken to Twitter to attack prominent activist Emma Gonzalez, who survived the mass shooting that killed 17 fellow students, calling her a “skinhead lesbian” and “bald-faced liar”. His contempt towards the 18-year-old student is shocking.

“There is nothing about this skinhead lesbian that impresses me and there is nothing that she has to say unless you're frothing at the mouth moonbat,” Leslie Gibson wrote about the openly bisexual teen who has been outspoken about the need for gun control after the attack.

Gibson continued to undermine her work as an activist stating that she should not be considered a survivor, as she “was in a completely different part of the school” when the attack happened. After a fierce backlash from Democratic candidates he later apologised adding: “I would like to extend my hand in friendship and understanding to you.” His Twitter account was then deactivated, but multiple news outlets have taken screenshots of his offending remarks.

The news comes as students prepare to walk out of school today in a show of solidarity to get politicians to take the issue of gun control seriously. Look out for live coverage on the Dazed News Instagram today.