The students were back — although they reiterated, “We don’t want to be here.”

A U.S. senator and a mayoral candidate joined a group of students, parents and teachers on the steps of the state Capitol and then on a march protesting gun violence on Saturday, following Friday’s signing of four new gun bills and the the failure of an “assault weapons” ban proposal a few days ago.

The rally and march were organized by Students Demand Action (SDA).

“I was here two months ago for a walkout and two weeks later following yet another one of these types of incidents. I’ve testified and spoken to legislators and constantly get apologies,” Norah Krause, a freshman at East High School and member of SDA, said. “I’m speaking today because I’m sick and tired of condolences.”

Gracie Taub, another member of SDA, said there’s a misconception that the students want to be at the Capitol rallying.

“It’s a Saturday and we’re standing on the steps of the Capitol, pleading that the people that are supposed to protect us actually do,” Taub said. “We don’t want to be here. We have been here enough. We shouldn’t have to be here again.”

Alongside the students who told stories about losing classmates to gun violence and hiding under desks during lockdowns, Denver mayoral candidate Mike Johnston and U.S. Sen. Michael Bennet also spoke about gun control.

Young people are historically and currently at the forefront of change, Johnston said, citing Gov. Jared Polis signing on four gun bills, which the Democratic majorities controlling Colorado’s General Assembly believe will help rein in the state’s gun violence problem.

The four bills increase the age to purchase guns, provide waiting periods, expand the kinds of people who can seek “red flag” petitions and allow gun victims to sue firearm manufacturers and dealers.

Supporters say they would curb gun violence and save lives, while critics call them arbitrary and argue, among other points, that they would turn law-abiding citizens into criminals.

Republicans called the proposals a “band aid” that don’t address the root causes of violence, with some GOP members pointing to mental health problems, drug issues, and the the lack of fathers in families, which contributes to children not being taught right from wrong.

Johnston commended the students’ actions.

“Young people … got passed yesterday the most historic batch of gun control legislation that this state has seen in over a decade,” Johnston said at the rally.

Despite the progress, those fighting for more gun control are “not done yet,” Johnston said.

“This job is not done until we come back and deliver an “assault weapons” ban in Colorado,” Johnston said.

Legislation that sought to ban so-called “assault weapons” died early April 20  after three Democrats joined the Colorado House Judiciary Committee’s Republicans to reject the proposal on a 7-6 vote.

Shortly before 1 a.m. Thursday, Democratic Reps. Bob Marshall of Highlands Ranch, Said Sharbini of Westminster and Marc Snyder of Colorado Springs voted down the legislation, along with their Republican colleagues after a pair of amendments to ban bump stocks and rapid-fire trigger activators also failed to advance.

Bennet, who said he is proud of the gun control bills signed by Polis on Friday, also maintained that more needs to be done at the federal level.

“At the federal level, we need a national background check just like the background check we have here in Colorado,” Bennet said. “We need to limit the size of magazines just like we have in Colorado and we need to pass a law that says we don’t need to manufacture one more of these weapons of war in the United States of America.”

Tami Butters, a former first-grade teacher who volunteers with Moms Demand Action, said he showed up at the rally to support the students.

“I’ve been through a lot of active shooter drills in my life and still have some trauma related to that,” Butters said. “I’m excited to see (students) getting involved, so I’m here to support them today.”

Butters, who attended the April 20 hearing on the proposal to ban “assault weapons,” said she was frustrated.

“I felt like all the arguments in opposition to the assault weapons ban are old, tired arguments,” Butters said. “I was frustrated that there wasn’t a little more pushback on the opposition, but I was really impressed with the students that spoke.”

During the hearing, critics countered that the proposal would not stop any shooting. Daniel Fenalson of the Colorado State Shooting Association said the proposal would, instead, only create more victims, including victims of domestic violence who want to defend themselves.

Disarming citizens will make them more vulnerable to crime, particularly for people of color, women, LGBTQ and those with disabilities, added Carynn Rudolph-Porter, who owns Goliath Tactical Firearms Training.

“As a Black, lesbian woman, a mother, a survivor of sexual assault, a disabled veteran, a social worker, and a certified firearms instructor, I believe that this proposed ban is detrimental to the greater community and a violation of our human right,” she said.

Colorado Politics reporter Marianne Goodland contributed to this report.