In the US state of Virginia, more than 22,000 demonstrators demonstrated against stricter arms laws. A large part of them were armed and authorities were prepared for an escalation, but the protest was peaceful.
Arms proponents had come to the Capitol Building in Richmond from all over the country to protest against new, more stringent gun laws in Virginia. They are about to be implemented by the recently elected Democratic state parliament. According to the demonstrators, they are being denied the constitutional right to own weapons.
It was feared that neo-Nazis and other extremists would use the demonstration to fuel violence, as happened in Charlottesville in 2017. Then a 32-year-old counter-demonstrator was driven to death in a protest by white nationalists (white nationalists).
The FBI picked up three alleged neo-Nazis earlier this week. According to the service, they planned to start a “racial war” at the Virginia protest.
Around the Capitol in Richmond, the governor had banned possession of weapons for security reasons. Yet a large proportion of the protesters had gathered armed outside of this.
The protest eventually went without significant incidents. According to the local police, no arrests were made.
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Members of an American militia march through the streets of Richmond. (Image: Reuters).
Weapon laws encounter resistance at local governments
The legislative proposals of the Democratic Parliament made a lot of sense in Virginia and throughout the United States.
In response to the announcement, almost all local governments of the 95 districts in Virginia said they would not comply with the laws. At least 200 districts in the rest of the US joined.
They called themselves “safe havens” for the right to arms possession: a reference to the so-called safe havens for undocumented migrants in other parts of the United States. Just like possession of weapons, the discussion about migration in the US is taking place along party lines.
Background law introduces background checks
According to the new bills, heavier weapons are banned in Virginia and universal background controls for gun buyers are introduced.
There will also be a so-called red flag law, with which family members or the police can request the court to temporarily deprive someone’s weapons, if that person poses a danger to themselves or others.
According to demonstrators, they are being deprived of the right to possession of weapons. Proponents argue that stricter arms laws in the US are needed to, among other things, curb the rising amount of mass shootings. The country counted 417 mass shootings in 2019, more than the number of days in a year.
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