RICHMOND, Va. (AP) - Thousands of gun-rights activists from around the country rallied peacefully Monday at the Virginia Capitol, protesting plans by the state's Democratic leadership to pass gun-control legislation that have become a key flash point in the national debate over gun violence.
The size of the crowd and the expected participation of white supremacists and fringe militia groups raised fears the state could see a repeat of the violence that exploded in 2017 in Charlottesville. 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.
"I love this. This is like the Super Bowl for the Second Amendment right here," said P.J. Hudson, a truck driver from Richmond who carried an AR-15 rifle just outside Capitol Square. He was one of the few African-American rally goers in the crowd that was overwhelmingly white and male, and frequently was stopped and asked to pose for pictures wearing his "Black Guns Matter" sweatshirt.
Authorities said that as of 1:40 p.m., there had been no reports of arrests or injuries.
The Richmond protesters came out in the thousands despite the frigid temperature to send a message to legislators, they said.
"The government doesn't run us, we run the government," said Kem Regik, a 20-year-old private security officer from northern Virginia who brought a white flag with a picture of a rifle captioned, "Come and take it."
Northam was a particular focus of the protesters' wrath. One poster showed his face superimposed on Adolf Hitler's body.
But Democratic lawmakers said the rally wasn't going to impact their plans to pass gun-control measures, including universal background checks and a one-handgun-purchase-a-month limit.
"I was prepared to see a whole lot more people show up than actually did, and I think it's an indication that a lot of this rhetoric is bluster, quite frankly," said Del. Chris Hurst, a gun-control advocate whose TV journalist girlfriend was killed in an on-air shooting in 2015.
Some of the protesters waved flags with messages of support for President Donald Trump. Trump, in turn, tweeted support for their goals.
"The Democrat Party in the Great Commonwealth of Virginia are working hard to take away your 2nd Amendment rights," he tweeted. "This is just the beginning. Don't let it happen, VOTE REPUBLICAN in 2020!