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Young gun control advocates spent Sunday night at the Virginia Capitol in the offices of two Democratic Virginia lawmakers, who offered the space so they wouldn't have to walk through the pro-gun rally taking place in Richmond Monday. (Photo: @Eve_Levenson/Twitter)
Gun control and anti-racism advocates arrived in Richmond, Virginia Monday to challenge the rally held by an estimated 15,000 pro-gun people from all over the country with the counter-protesters applauding recent firearm regulations passed in the state legislature.
Young advocates representing March for Our Lives, the national grassroots group started by survivors of the school shooting in Parkland, Florida in 2018, arrived in the city on Sunday and spent the night in the offices of Delegates Chris Hurst and Dan Helmer, both Democratic members of the state House of Delegates who offered the accomodations so the group wouldn't have to walk through Monday's rally.
\u201cLast night, we slept in the Virginia State Capitol. Today, we\u2019re here following in the footsteps of MLK Jr. \n\nWe\u2019re advocating today, and everyday, honoring his legacy with actions that would have been impossible if not for his dedication to justice + nonviolent protest. #MLKDay\u201d— March For Our Lives \u262e\ufe0f (@March For Our Lives \u262e\ufe0f) 1579543709
\u201cThese are March for Our Lives student activists who slept on the floor of \u2066@HelmerVA\u2069 \u2018s office last night. They wanted to lobby lawmakers but Helmer says he didn\u2019t want them to have to walk thru gun rights crowd to do it\u201d— Daniella Cheslow (@Daniella Cheslow) 1579543694
The young activists spent the day lobbying lawmakers to support gun control legislation.
Organized by the Virginia Citizens Defense League, the pro-gun rally drew thousands of people from across the country, with white supremacists and members of anti-government militias warning over the weekend that they would attend.
As Common Dreams reported last week, Democratic Gov. Ralph Northam declared a temporary state of emergency for Richmond lasting until Tuesday and banned the carrying of weapons on the Capitol ground during the rally.
Since Virginia does not generally prohibit the open carrying of firearms, attendees congregated with guns in the streets outside the perimeter Northam set.
Pulse Nightclub shooting survivor Brandon Wolf posted to Twitter a photo of the March for Our Lives advocates alongside one of a heavily armed rally-goer.
"Don't worry, sir," he tweeted. "They're fighting to keep you safe too."
\u201cOne is a group of adults getting ready to discuss common sense reforms with lawmakers.\n\nThe other is a man carrying a .50 caliber to protest background checks.\n\nDon\u2019t worry, sir. They\u2019re fighting to keep you safe too. #VirginiaRally\u201d— Brandon Wolf (@Brandon Wolf) 1579538028
The rally was organized in response to three gun control bills the state Senate passed last week, which could be passed by the House of Delegates as soon as this week. Both chambers of Virginia's legislature are controlled by the Democrats following November's elections.
The bills include:
Since Democrats won control of the state government in November, more than 100 towns in Virginia have symbolically declared themselves "Second Amendment Sanctuaries," aiming to defy any new gun control regulations. One of the rally speakers on Monday was a county sheriff who last month pledged to "deputize" gun owners if lawmakers continue to push gun control measures.
Last week, President Donald Trump implicitly endorsed the rally with a tweet telling Virginians, "Your Second Amendment is under very serious attack in the great Commonwealth of Virginia. That's what happens when you vote for Democrats, they will take your guns away."
At the rally on Monday, attendees were heard chanting, "No registration! No confiscation!"--suggesting opposition to one gun control measure which 76% of Americans support, according to Giffords Law Center, and to one that anti-gun control groups have "baselessly" warned will soon be proposed, tweeted Mom's Demand Action founder Shannon Watts.
During the gun rights rally, volunteers with Moms Demand Action held phone-banking events, calling voters across Virginia to urge them to pressure their representatives to support the new legislation.
\u201cHi There \ud83d\udc4b Your friendly neighborhood @MomsDemand volunteer calling you to reach out to your #VaLeg #GunSenseMajority to encourage them to pass:\n\u2705 Background Checks\n\u2705 Red Flag Laws\nAs soon as possible. Thank you! \u2764\ufe0f\u201d— MaureenYM (@MaureenYM) 1579547692
Journalist Andrew Kimmel tweeted a video of the non-violent group Refuse Fascism speaking out against the Trump administration and gun violence at the rally, with attendees chanting, "USA! USA!" at them.
\u201cThis is the first protest group (@RefuseFascism) I\u2019ve seen today. #Richmond2ARally\u201d— Andrew Kimmel (@Andrew Kimmel) 1579533241
The rally forced Richmond officials to cancel the city's Martin Luther King Jr. Day vigil for the first time in 28 years, leading to condemnation from anti-racism advocates.
\u201cWhat\u2019s happening in Richmond today is not only scary but also underscores that the cruelty is the point. If they just wanted to advance an argument on gun rights, they wouldn\u2019t do it on #MLKDay. The miss being able to openly terrify people, especially black people. #richmondrally\u201d— Ilyse Hogue is @ilyseh on mastodon (@Ilyse Hogue is @ilyseh on mastodon) 1579529989
Guardian reporter Lois Beckett pointed out that only a small group of police officers appeared to be present at the rally, compared with many demonstrations attended by unarmed protesters in recent years where police have had a heavy presence.
\u201cWhat is so striking about the scene at the gun rights rally in Richmond is what you don\u2019t see: almost no cops. Just that little cluster of state police there. No lines of riot cops. No law enforcement in riot gear.\u201d— Lois Beckett (@Lois Beckett) 1579535553
The police also did not appear to enforce a Virginia state law mandating that people at public gatherings aren't permitted to cover their faces.
Aubrey "Japharii" Jones, president of a local Black Lives Matter group who protested the rally's message, said he believed a group of thousands of armed black Americans would be treated very differently by the Richmond police.
\u201cThis is Aubrey \u201cJapharii\u201d Jones, the president of Black Lives Matter 757. He doesn\u2019t believe the reaction would\u2019ve been the same today if it were thousands of African-Americans marching with guns. #Richmond2ARally\u201d— Andrew Kimmel (@Andrew Kimmel) 1579534580
"I think there'd be a much different approach with law enforcement," Jones said. "I think they'd be out here with the shields and the dogs... We've held peace marches and they showed up to our peace marches with armored trucks and things of that nature, and that was a peace march. So if they had this coming out with the African-American community I'm pretty sure it would have been a lot different, a much more hostile environment."
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Gun control and anti-racism advocates arrived in Richmond, Virginia Monday to challenge the rally held by an estimated 15,000 pro-gun people from all over the country with the counter-protesters applauding recent firearm regulations passed in the state legislature.
Young advocates representing March for Our Lives, the national grassroots group started by survivors of the school shooting in Parkland, Florida in 2018, arrived in the city on Sunday and spent the night in the offices of Delegates Chris Hurst and Dan Helmer, both Democratic members of the state House of Delegates who offered the accomodations so the group wouldn't have to walk through Monday's rally.
\u201cLast night, we slept in the Virginia State Capitol. Today, we\u2019re here following in the footsteps of MLK Jr. \n\nWe\u2019re advocating today, and everyday, honoring his legacy with actions that would have been impossible if not for his dedication to justice + nonviolent protest. #MLKDay\u201d— March For Our Lives \u262e\ufe0f (@March For Our Lives \u262e\ufe0f) 1579543709
\u201cThese are March for Our Lives student activists who slept on the floor of \u2066@HelmerVA\u2069 \u2018s office last night. They wanted to lobby lawmakers but Helmer says he didn\u2019t want them to have to walk thru gun rights crowd to do it\u201d— Daniella Cheslow (@Daniella Cheslow) 1579543694
The young activists spent the day lobbying lawmakers to support gun control legislation.
Organized by the Virginia Citizens Defense League, the pro-gun rally drew thousands of people from across the country, with white supremacists and members of anti-government militias warning over the weekend that they would attend.
As Common Dreams reported last week, Democratic Gov. Ralph Northam declared a temporary state of emergency for Richmond lasting until Tuesday and banned the carrying of weapons on the Capitol ground during the rally.
Since Virginia does not generally prohibit the open carrying of firearms, attendees congregated with guns in the streets outside the perimeter Northam set.
Pulse Nightclub shooting survivor Brandon Wolf posted to Twitter a photo of the March for Our Lives advocates alongside one of a heavily armed rally-goer.
"Don't worry, sir," he tweeted. "They're fighting to keep you safe too."
\u201cOne is a group of adults getting ready to discuss common sense reforms with lawmakers.\n\nThe other is a man carrying a .50 caliber to protest background checks.\n\nDon\u2019t worry, sir. They\u2019re fighting to keep you safe too. #VirginiaRally\u201d— Brandon Wolf (@Brandon Wolf) 1579538028
The rally was organized in response to three gun control bills the state Senate passed last week, which could be passed by the House of Delegates as soon as this week. Both chambers of Virginia's legislature are controlled by the Democrats following November's elections.
The bills include:
Since Democrats won control of the state government in November, more than 100 towns in Virginia have symbolically declared themselves "Second Amendment Sanctuaries," aiming to defy any new gun control regulations. One of the rally speakers on Monday was a county sheriff who last month pledged to "deputize" gun owners if lawmakers continue to push gun control measures.
Last week, President Donald Trump implicitly endorsed the rally with a tweet telling Virginians, "Your Second Amendment is under very serious attack in the great Commonwealth of Virginia. That's what happens when you vote for Democrats, they will take your guns away."
At the rally on Monday, attendees were heard chanting, "No registration! No confiscation!"--suggesting opposition to one gun control measure which 76% of Americans support, according to Giffords Law Center, and to one that anti-gun control groups have "baselessly" warned will soon be proposed, tweeted Mom's Demand Action founder Shannon Watts.
During the gun rights rally, volunteers with Moms Demand Action held phone-banking events, calling voters across Virginia to urge them to pressure their representatives to support the new legislation.
\u201cHi There \ud83d\udc4b Your friendly neighborhood @MomsDemand volunteer calling you to reach out to your #VaLeg #GunSenseMajority to encourage them to pass:\n\u2705 Background Checks\n\u2705 Red Flag Laws\nAs soon as possible. Thank you! \u2764\ufe0f\u201d— MaureenYM (@MaureenYM) 1579547692
Journalist Andrew Kimmel tweeted a video of the non-violent group Refuse Fascism speaking out against the Trump administration and gun violence at the rally, with attendees chanting, "USA! USA!" at them.
\u201cThis is the first protest group (@RefuseFascism) I\u2019ve seen today. #Richmond2ARally\u201d— Andrew Kimmel (@Andrew Kimmel) 1579533241
The rally forced Richmond officials to cancel the city's Martin Luther King Jr. Day vigil for the first time in 28 years, leading to condemnation from anti-racism advocates.
\u201cWhat\u2019s happening in Richmond today is not only scary but also underscores that the cruelty is the point. If they just wanted to advance an argument on gun rights, they wouldn\u2019t do it on #MLKDay. The miss being able to openly terrify people, especially black people. #richmondrally\u201d— Ilyse Hogue is @ilyseh on mastodon (@Ilyse Hogue is @ilyseh on mastodon) 1579529989
Guardian reporter Lois Beckett pointed out that only a small group of police officers appeared to be present at the rally, compared with many demonstrations attended by unarmed protesters in recent years where police have had a heavy presence.
\u201cWhat is so striking about the scene at the gun rights rally in Richmond is what you don\u2019t see: almost no cops. Just that little cluster of state police there. No lines of riot cops. No law enforcement in riot gear.\u201d— Lois Beckett (@Lois Beckett) 1579535553
The police also did not appear to enforce a Virginia state law mandating that people at public gatherings aren't permitted to cover their faces.
Aubrey "Japharii" Jones, president of a local Black Lives Matter group who protested the rally's message, said he believed a group of thousands of armed black Americans would be treated very differently by the Richmond police.
\u201cThis is Aubrey \u201cJapharii\u201d Jones, the president of Black Lives Matter 757. He doesn\u2019t believe the reaction would\u2019ve been the same today if it were thousands of African-Americans marching with guns. #Richmond2ARally\u201d— Andrew Kimmel (@Andrew Kimmel) 1579534580
"I think there'd be a much different approach with law enforcement," Jones said. "I think they'd be out here with the shields and the dogs... We've held peace marches and they showed up to our peace marches with armored trucks and things of that nature, and that was a peace march. So if they had this coming out with the African-American community I'm pretty sure it would have been a lot different, a much more hostile environment."
Gun control and anti-racism advocates arrived in Richmond, Virginia Monday to challenge the rally held by an estimated 15,000 pro-gun people from all over the country with the counter-protesters applauding recent firearm regulations passed in the state legislature.
Young advocates representing March for Our Lives, the national grassroots group started by survivors of the school shooting in Parkland, Florida in 2018, arrived in the city on Sunday and spent the night in the offices of Delegates Chris Hurst and Dan Helmer, both Democratic members of the state House of Delegates who offered the accomodations so the group wouldn't have to walk through Monday's rally.
\u201cLast night, we slept in the Virginia State Capitol. Today, we\u2019re here following in the footsteps of MLK Jr. \n\nWe\u2019re advocating today, and everyday, honoring his legacy with actions that would have been impossible if not for his dedication to justice + nonviolent protest. #MLKDay\u201d— March For Our Lives \u262e\ufe0f (@March For Our Lives \u262e\ufe0f) 1579543709
\u201cThese are March for Our Lives student activists who slept on the floor of \u2066@HelmerVA\u2069 \u2018s office last night. They wanted to lobby lawmakers but Helmer says he didn\u2019t want them to have to walk thru gun rights crowd to do it\u201d— Daniella Cheslow (@Daniella Cheslow) 1579543694
The young activists spent the day lobbying lawmakers to support gun control legislation.
Organized by the Virginia Citizens Defense League, the pro-gun rally drew thousands of people from across the country, with white supremacists and members of anti-government militias warning over the weekend that they would attend.
As Common Dreams reported last week, Democratic Gov. Ralph Northam declared a temporary state of emergency for Richmond lasting until Tuesday and banned the carrying of weapons on the Capitol ground during the rally.
Since Virginia does not generally prohibit the open carrying of firearms, attendees congregated with guns in the streets outside the perimeter Northam set.
Pulse Nightclub shooting survivor Brandon Wolf posted to Twitter a photo of the March for Our Lives advocates alongside one of a heavily armed rally-goer.
"Don't worry, sir," he tweeted. "They're fighting to keep you safe too."
\u201cOne is a group of adults getting ready to discuss common sense reforms with lawmakers.\n\nThe other is a man carrying a .50 caliber to protest background checks.\n\nDon\u2019t worry, sir. They\u2019re fighting to keep you safe too. #VirginiaRally\u201d— Brandon Wolf (@Brandon Wolf) 1579538028
The rally was organized in response to three gun control bills the state Senate passed last week, which could be passed by the House of Delegates as soon as this week. Both chambers of Virginia's legislature are controlled by the Democrats following November's elections.
The bills include:
Since Democrats won control of the state government in November, more than 100 towns in Virginia have symbolically declared themselves "Second Amendment Sanctuaries," aiming to defy any new gun control regulations. One of the rally speakers on Monday was a county sheriff who last month pledged to "deputize" gun owners if lawmakers continue to push gun control measures.
Last week, President Donald Trump implicitly endorsed the rally with a tweet telling Virginians, "Your Second Amendment is under very serious attack in the great Commonwealth of Virginia. That's what happens when you vote for Democrats, they will take your guns away."
At the rally on Monday, attendees were heard chanting, "No registration! No confiscation!"--suggesting opposition to one gun control measure which 76% of Americans support, according to Giffords Law Center, and to one that anti-gun control groups have "baselessly" warned will soon be proposed, tweeted Mom's Demand Action founder Shannon Watts.
During the gun rights rally, volunteers with Moms Demand Action held phone-banking events, calling voters across Virginia to urge them to pressure their representatives to support the new legislation.
\u201cHi There \ud83d\udc4b Your friendly neighborhood @MomsDemand volunteer calling you to reach out to your #VaLeg #GunSenseMajority to encourage them to pass:\n\u2705 Background Checks\n\u2705 Red Flag Laws\nAs soon as possible. Thank you! \u2764\ufe0f\u201d— MaureenYM (@MaureenYM) 1579547692
Journalist Andrew Kimmel tweeted a video of the non-violent group Refuse Fascism speaking out against the Trump administration and gun violence at the rally, with attendees chanting, "USA! USA!" at them.
\u201cThis is the first protest group (@RefuseFascism) I\u2019ve seen today. #Richmond2ARally\u201d— Andrew Kimmel (@Andrew Kimmel) 1579533241
The rally forced Richmond officials to cancel the city's Martin Luther King Jr. Day vigil for the first time in 28 years, leading to condemnation from anti-racism advocates.
\u201cWhat\u2019s happening in Richmond today is not only scary but also underscores that the cruelty is the point. If they just wanted to advance an argument on gun rights, they wouldn\u2019t do it on #MLKDay. The miss being able to openly terrify people, especially black people. #richmondrally\u201d— Ilyse Hogue is @ilyseh on mastodon (@Ilyse Hogue is @ilyseh on mastodon) 1579529989
Guardian reporter Lois Beckett pointed out that only a small group of police officers appeared to be present at the rally, compared with many demonstrations attended by unarmed protesters in recent years where police have had a heavy presence.
\u201cWhat is so striking about the scene at the gun rights rally in Richmond is what you don\u2019t see: almost no cops. Just that little cluster of state police there. No lines of riot cops. No law enforcement in riot gear.\u201d— Lois Beckett (@Lois Beckett) 1579535553
The police also did not appear to enforce a Virginia state law mandating that people at public gatherings aren't permitted to cover their faces.
Aubrey "Japharii" Jones, president of a local Black Lives Matter group who protested the rally's message, said he believed a group of thousands of armed black Americans would be treated very differently by the Richmond police.
\u201cThis is Aubrey \u201cJapharii\u201d Jones, the president of Black Lives Matter 757. He doesn\u2019t believe the reaction would\u2019ve been the same today if it were thousands of African-Americans marching with guns. #Richmond2ARally\u201d— Andrew Kimmel (@Andrew Kimmel) 1579534580
"I think there'd be a much different approach with law enforcement," Jones said. "I think they'd be out here with the shields and the dogs... We've held peace marches and they showed up to our peace marches with armored trucks and things of that nature, and that was a peace march. So if they had this coming out with the African-American community I'm pretty sure it would have been a lot different, a much more hostile environment."