USA TODAY International Edition
Va. governor: Ban at rally for gun rights
Northam: ‘ They are coming to intimidate’
McLEAN, Va. – No guns allowed at the gun rights rally.
That’s the word from Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam, who announced Wednesday that he plans to declare an emergency and ban firearms around the state Capitol before a gun rights rally Monday that could draw thousands of armed people and militias from Virginia and out of state.
Gun rights advocates organizing the event promised a “peaceful day to address our Legislature” in Richmond, but their efforts sparked a much larger, grassroots movement that has drawn interest from gun owners and militias around the country.
Northam said at a news conference that intelligence from law enforcement indicates that out- of- state militias and hate groups fueled by misinformation and conspiracy theories have “malicious plans” for the rally.
“They’re not coming to peacefully protest. They are coming to intimidate and cause harm,” Northam said.
Northam said he will declare a state of emergency in Richmond from Friday evening through Tuesday evening. Under the order, city, state and Capitol police will form a unified command, state employees are encouraged to stay home for the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday, and all weapons will be banned in the Capitol Square.
After the emergency expires Tuesday, most firearms will be allowed on the grounds. Virginia is an open- carry state.
Northam said the decision was a response to threats, some of them made online in forums hosted by hate groups and white nationalists. The governor called on rally organizers to dissuade out- of- state groups from coming to the rally and encouraged a “peaceful day” for Virginians.
“Unfortunately, they have unleashed something much larger – something that they may not be able to control,” he said.
“No one wants another incident like the one we saw at Charlottesville in 2017. We will not allow that mayhem and violence to happen here,” Northam said, referring to a white nationalist rally where clashes broke out and a counterprotester was killed.
Philip Van Cleave, who is organizing the Richmond rally as president of the Virginia Citizens Defense League, said the event is still on. He said his group will weigh how to respond to Northam’s ban, depending on the specifics.
“Hell no, he’s not going to stop it with that little act,” Van Cleave told USA TODAY, adding that his group could pursue legal action.
Driving the momentum is opposition to a host of gun control proposals from Northam and Democrats, who won full control of the state’s government in November for the first time since 1993.
“The governor and leadership in the Democratic Party have declared war on law- abiding gun owners, and they’re tired of it,” Van Cleave said. “It’s basically people saying we’re fed up. We’ve had enough.
“The governor has touched the third rail. He has motivated people to drive across the state and from other states to come protect our rights.”
Van Cleave promised upward of 100,000 armed gun owners in Richmond in hopes to dissuade enough Democrats to scrap or weaken the proposals.
Stickers and posters displayed in meetings around the state declared, “Guns save lives” and “We will not comply.” Pro- gun websites and social media spread messages against government “tyrants” coming to take people’s guns and urged their audiences to travel to Virginia to support the effort.
Van Cleave’s group issued fiery warnings of what could happen to gun owners should the measures pass.
“All these bills are basically steps in the direction of disarming people,” he said.
Northam has worked to dispel the idea that he intends to go “door- todoor” with authorities to take away people’s guns.
“We have no intention of calling out the National Guard. We’re not going to cut off people’s electricity. We’re not going to go door- to- door and confiscate individual’s weapons,” Northam said Jan. 7 alongside Democratic lawmakers. “We are going to pass common- sense legislation that will keep guns out of dangerous hands and keep Virginia safer. It is just that simple.”