US: Virginia pro-gun activists gather outside Richmond Capitol ahead of Biden inauguration

While Biden’s inauguration ceremony is just around the corner, thousands of American pro-gun activists, militia members and white supremacists descended on Virginia's capitol building in a bid to protest proposed restrictions on gun ownership. According to Associated Press, on January 18, several gun-rights advocates gathered outside Richmond, waving flags with messages of support for outgoing President Donald Trump. The rally gathered just hours before Virginia state lawmakers met for “Lobby day”. 

The crowd gathered saw a heavy police presence, with both uniformed and plainclothes officers. The rally was organised on Martin Luther King Jr Day, a holiday which marks the legacy of the African-American civil rights leader. Gun-rights activists typically make a large, organised appearance each year. Last year, thousands of gun-rights activists from across the country flooded the Capitol and the surrounding area in protest of a new Democratic majority’s push to enact new gun restrictions.  

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This year, the rally organised a series of caravans through the city. They argued that their constitutional rights were being infringed upon a proposed package of eight bills to change Virginia state firearms laws, including a bill to limit handgun purchases to one per month to require background checks on all firearms purchases and transfers, bans on guns from certain events and public spaces, and a ban on assault rifles. Monday’s movement has been linked to a string of domestic terrorism plots and has been promoted by white supremacists, but many supporters insist they’re not truly advocating for violence. 

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Governor urges to stay ‘vigilant’ 

Meanwhile, the FBI issued a warning about the potential for violence at state capitols in the aftermath of the deadly insurrection at the U.S. Capitol. However, there were no reports of major incidents over the weekend and only small groups of right-wing protesters gathered outside heavily fortified statehouses around the country on Sunday. In comments to gun-control advocates, Governor Ralph Northam also urged the activists to stay “vigilant” and to continue working to elect lawmakers who support what the governor said were common-sense gun restrictions. 

“We can’t take any chances of going back,” Northam said.

(Inputs & Image: AP) 

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