Activists Blockade NRA Entrance to Protest 'Relentless' Gun Lobby

Activists staging a 'die-in' at the NRA's headquarters on Tuesday. (Photo: CODEPINK/Twitter)

Activists Blockade NRA Entrance to Protest 'Relentless' Gun Lobby

At least 16 arrested after activists blocked NRA's entrance by staging die-in to symbolize victims of gun violence

At least 16 people were arrested during a peace vigil outside the National Rifle Association (NRA) on Tuesday, as activists staged a "die-in" to demand gun reform in the wake of the mass shooting in Orlando earlier this month.

The demonstration, organized by the peace group CODEPINK, began Monday night and lasted into Tuesday morning as activists blocked the entrance to the NRA's headquarters in Fairfax, Virginia and lay down on the ground to symbolize victims of gun violence. The action was tracked on Twitter with the hashtag #DisarmHate.

Protesters held banners reading "Ban Assault Weapons" and "Stop Killing Our Kids" and wrote the names of the Orlando victims on paper hearts that they strung up on trees around the NRA's building. The group targeted the gun organization to protest the association's "relentless lobbying for putting military weapons in civilian hands."

People Get Ready - Donate now!

"Committing ourselves to no longer letting the NRA hold our country hostage!" CODEPINK wrote on Twitter.

The protest comes just a day after the U.S. Senate failed to pass four gun reform measures, including legislation that would have strengthened background checks and prevented suspected terrorists from purchasing firearms. Activists said even those amendments did not go far enough, as the shooter in Orlando's massacre, Omar Mateen, would still have obtained his weapon legally under those restrictions.

Also participating in the protest were members of Muslim groups, LGBTQ organizations, and others who have been affected by gun violence.

Join Us: News for people demanding a better world


Common Dreams is powered by optimists who believe in the power of informed and engaged citizens to ignite and enact change to make the world a better place.

We're hundreds of thousands strong, but every single supporter makes the difference.

Your contribution supports this bold media model—free, independent, and dedicated to reporting the facts every day. Stand with us in the fight for economic equality, social justice, human rights, and a more sustainable future. As a people-powered nonprofit news outlet, we cover the issues the corporate media never will. Join with us today!

Our work is licensed under Creative Commons (CC BY-NC-ND 3.0). Feel free to republish and share widely.