Thousands of people demonstrated against the tightening of gun laws in the capital of the US state of Virginia under strict security precautions. In the square in front of the government headquarters in Richmond, there was a gun ban on Monday – dozens of demonstrators openly displayed their guns in the surrounding streets.
Capitol Square and the streets were already filled hours before the official start of the rally on Monday morning (local time). It was feared that violent right-wing extremists might mingle with the demonstrators. The Democratic governor Ralph Northam had declared a state of emergency for Richmond as a precaution. In the end, however, the demonstration was peaceful.
Numerous US and Virginia flags were waved in the crowd. An assault rifle was depicted on a huge banner, underneath the provocative sentence “Come and take it”. Protesters chanted “USA, USA” and – with a view to a possible further term of office of President Donald Trump – “Four years left”. Several protesters wore caps with the Trump slogan “Make America Great Again” or “Trump 2020”. Trump is closely allied with the powerful gun lobby, the NRA, and advocates a generous interpretation of the right to private gun possession.
The US President had previously fueled the protest against plans by the Democratic government to tighten gun laws via Twitter. The Virginia government is working hard to deprive people of gun ownership, Trump wrote on Monday. “That’s just the beginning. Does not allow it.”
In an election in November, the Democrats succeeded in taking over the majority in both chambers of parliament that had previously been held by the Republicans. Because of the planned tightening of the lax gun laws, this time a particularly large number of people were expected for the annual “Lobby Day”.
“Crazy people kill people.”
“We are desperately trying to stop gun control,” said Michael Parker, who had come to the demonstration from Georgia state and carried a semi-automatic weapon. He’s been shooting since he was eight years old. “It’s my way of life,” said the 22-year-old. The problem is not the guns, but the people. “Crazy people kill people.”
The 34-year-old Eric Couturier from Virginia said: “The governor wants to make it difficult for citizens to arm themselves.” The aim is to deprive them of all gun rights. Many participants wore stickers that read: “Guns save lives”. The demonstrators chanted that they would not allow themselves to be disarmed.
There was great concern about riots at the rally. Governor Northam said last week that there was information that violent gunmen and hateful groups were planning “malicious acts” at the demonstration. “You don’t come to demonstrate peacefully.”
Citizens of the city were called on not to be in the city center if this was not absolutely necessary. The day of the rally was a public holiday in the USA to commemorate civil rights activist Martin Luther King.
Memories of Charlottesville
“Nobody wants another incident like the one we saw in Charlottesville in 2017,” said the governor. A demonstration by white nationalists and neo-Nazis in the city, which is also in Virginia, broke out on August 12, 2017.
One woman was killed and several people injured when a right-wing extremist drove his car into a counter-demonstration. The case made headlines around the world because US President Donald Trump did not clearly distance himself from the right-wing extremists. Trump spoke of “some very fine people on both sides”.
The organizers of the rally on Monday in Richmond had appealed to the participants to peacefully protest for their gun rights and to report suspicious people.
In the United States, where guns are usually very easy to buy, gunmen often fire around in schools, shopping malls or other public places.
Thousands of people die every year as a result of the use of firearms, which repeatedly leads to debates about tightening gun laws. In many US states it is even allowed to carry weapons openly. (dpa, AFP)
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