Va. governor declares state of emergency ahead of gun rally
RICHMOND, VA. >> Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam announced Wednesday he was declaring a state of emergency over threats of “armed militia groups storming our Capitol” ahead of a gun-rights rally next week.
Northam’s emergency order will ban weapons of all kinds, including firearms, from the Capitol grounds starting Friday and continuing through Tuesday. He said the order was necessary to protect public safety because of potential violence from out-of-state groups at a gun-rights rally scheduled for
Monday.
“Let me be clear. These are considered credible, serious threats by our law enforcement agencies,” Northam said at a Capitol news conference.
He added that some of the rhetoric used by groups planning to attend Monday’s rally is similar to what was said in the lead-up to a deadly 2017 white nationalist rally in Charlottesville. “We will not allow that mayhem and violence to happen here.”
Monday is Martin Luther King
Jr. Day and is known as “Lobby day” in Virginia politics as advocates for a number of causes use the holiday to try to buttonhole lawmakers. It’s also traditionally when pro-gun and gun-control advocates hold rallies. This year, law enforcement officials are expecting thousands of gun-rights advocates to attend a rally organized by the Virginia Citizens Defense League.
The group said its lawyers are reviewing the governor’s emergency declaration but did not have immediate additional comment.
Republicans were mixed in their response. House Minority Leader Del. Todd Gilbert lamented that
“there are legitimate concerns of a few bad actors hijacking the rally.” But Republican Party of Virginia Chairman Jack Wilson condemned Northam’s declaration.
“Northam and the rest of the Virginia Democrats have made their session goal crystal clear: a disarmed, vulnerable, and subservient citizenry,” Wilson said in a statement.
The emergency declaration will mean road closures around the Capitol and limited access to the grounds, including a security checkpoint with metal detectors. Northam’s declaration will also ban items like helmets and shields.