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True, but the weapons should work to control the tendency for violence (a deterrent), unless the whole situation had been staged or allowed in order to create the violence as is desired by whomever it is that desires it (failure of governor leadership). Always remember that the buck stops with those who allow the event and situation to take place to begin with, and especially without proper safety measures involved, and guarantees by all groups participating given, and proper safe site designation to be set up for the event.Well for a lot of people, the mere presence of a weapon causes the suspicion and fear of immiment violence.They should cancel the rally if violence of any kind is suspected. Then a more regulated agreed upon rally, with non-violent recognized leaders of the groups attending should be allowed to organize with guarantees given. This garantee should be agreed upon by all leaders and officials involved.I'm just trying to figure out what occurred recently that made them feel that this was an unsafe situation when it's been an annual event for close to 3 decades according to what I read.If anything happens, the fault will be on the Virginia government officials for using the issue in a divisive political way. The governor or any other involved should be jailed immediately if anything goes wrong, because if he or any other official baited the whole thing then he or any other involved should pay the consequences for it.I guess we'll find out after the fact if there actually was a threat but I thought I read somewhere that they hold this gun rally every year, presumably without incident?
Many say they'll be staying as far away as possible from the demonstration they worry will turn violent.
Richmond on edge ahead of pro-gun rally at Virginia Capitol
Jan. 19, 202001:40
Jan. 19, 2020, 6:07 AM PST
By Ben Kesslen
RICHMOND, Va. — As gun rights activists, white nationalists and militia groups prepare to rally at the state Capitol on Monday to protest proposed gun control laws, residents are praying it won’t be a repeat of the violent 2017 rally in Charlottesville that ended in a woman's death.
The Virginia Citizens Defense League, which organizes the annual gun rights rally, said it wants a "peaceful event," but the crowd is expected to be larger than usual because Democrats took control of the Legislature last year and are proposing several gun control bills that would limit handgun purchases and require background checks, among other regulations.
The proposals come after a mass shooting in May in Virginia Beach, in which a disgruntled city employee killed 12 people in a municipal building.
“I’m very worried,” Francisca Benavides, a student at Virginia Commonwealth University, said.
Benavides, who's studying photography at the 31,000-student public research university, wanted to attend the rally to document it but is having second thoughts after Gov. Ralph Northam declared a state of emergency last week in anticipation of the event. He said "credible intelligence" indicated the rally would draw armed militias and hate groups.
“All my friends are trying to convince me not to attend,” Benavides said, adding she was reassured when Northam temporarily banned guns and other weapons from the grounds of the Capitol, and the state Supreme Court struck down the rally organizers' challenge to the order.
As gun rights rally looms in Virginia, Richmond residents fear another Charlottesville
Gun rallies/protest tend to be peaceful from what I've experienced over the last few decades. What makes them volatile is not the presence of the firearms, it's the appearance of those individuals such as the ones in Charlottesville who are spoiling for a fight or those instigating and goading people in order to give the event and it's underlying message a black eye, then they can crack down with even more restrictive gun laws.
