A Seymour state legislator traveled to Virginia to join thousands of gun-rights activists protesting plans by Democrats in that state to pass gun-control legislation.
Rep. Jim Lucas, who made the nine-hour drive to Richmond, Virginia, said he estimated that at least 50,000 people attended the rally with “more ‘open carry’ than I’ve ever seen in my life.”
“I just wanted to come up here and see what it was all about,” Lucas said Monday morning as he stood in front of the Virginia Capitol. “…I think Virginia is the canary in the coal mine on gun rights.”
By Monday afternoon, Lucas had left the rally and was driving back to Indiana to make it back in time for Tuesday’s legislative session in Indianapolis.
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“It was worth every minute I spent on the road,” he said.
The gun rights rally was pushback against proposed new gun restrictions in Virginia, including a proposed assault weapons ban, bills limiting handgun purchases to once a month, universal background checks on gun purchases, allowing localities to ban guns in public buildings, parks and other areas, and a red flag bill that would allow authorities to temporarily take guns away from anyone deemed to be dangerous to themselves or others, The Associated Press reported.
The size of the crowd and the expected participation of white supremacists and fringe militia groups raised fears that the state could see a repeat of the violence that exploded in 2017 in Charlottesville, according to the AP. But the rally concluded uneventfully around noon, and the mood was largely festive, with rally-goers chanting “USA!” and waving signs denouncing Democratic Gov. Ralph Northam.
Many protesters chose not to enter the designated rally zone, where Northam had instituted a temporary weapons ban, and instead packed the surrounding streets, many dressed in tactical gear and camouflage and carrying military-style rifles as they cheered on the speakers, according to wire reports.
While Lucas said he carried a gun while traveling to Virginia, he did not take a gun to the rally so that he could enter the Virginia Capitol.
Lucas said he saw a lot of militia dressed in camouflage at the rally, and at one point, he interrupted himself during a phone interview to report that “Here comes a militia group up the street. They’re fired up.”
Monday’s rally in Virginia was organized by a grassroots gun-rights group, the Virginia Citizens Defense League, the The Associated Press reported.
Second Amendment groups have identified Virginia as a rallying point for the fight against what they see as a national erosion of gun rights.
Lucas said he found Monday’s rally to be “inspiring.”
“I’m pretty much an absolutist when it comes to our Second Amendment rights,” he said.
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For coverage of the Virginia gun-rights rally, see Page A3.
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