The governor said law enforcement had intercepted “extremist rhetoric” similar to the lead-up to Charlottesville days before pro-gun activists are holding a rally.
In response to what he described as “credible intelligence” of threats of violence at an upcoming gun rights rally in Richmond, Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam has declared a state of emergency and will temporarily ban individuals from carrying firearms on Capitol grounds.
The governor said at a press conference Wednesday that authorities believe “armed militia groups plan to storm the Capitol” during the January 20 rally.
He also said that law enforcement had intercepted threats and “extremist rhetoric” similar to what was observed prior to the violent Unite the Right rally in Charlottesville in August 2017. “We will not allow that mayhem and violence to happen here,” he said.
The decision to ban all weapons, including firearms, won’t sit well with the thousands of gun lovers who are expected to descend on Richmond to participate in what was billed as an open-carry affair and an opportunity to flex Second Amendment rights.
Lindsay Clancy juror denies bias allegations, wants ‘conversation started’ about women’s mental health
Construction rig collapses on 3 cars in Miami, traps workers as fire erupts
Jimmy Kimmel Faces Eye-Popping Budget Cuts to Keep Show Alive as He Learns Americans Just Don’t Care About Him Anymore
Protester confronts Vance during Kansas rally for Sen. Roger Marshall
Democrat Al Green to force House-wide vote on impeaching Trump
Reporter’s Notebook: Congress meets AI as fears of human extinction jolt Capitol Hill
Swedish Left projected for narrow victory in national elections, but pathway to governing coalition unclear
Air Force Officer Shot Down Over Iran Tells ’60 Minutes’ Prayer Got Him Through Harrowing Ordeal: ‘Lord, Your Will Be Done’
Hayden Panettiere Reportedly Died After Ingesting a Single Fentanyl-Laced Pill
Far-left attack backfires spectacularly as radical online personality whines after attacking female Trump aide
Inside House Republicans’ plan to end run Dem opposition and pass Trump-backed voter ID
CrowdFunder for Clancy Holdout Juror Shoots Past $100k After FL Gov. DeSantis Offers ‘Asylum’ as ID Leak Nears
Lindsay Clancy juror says panel saw case as chance to ‘make it better for other women’
Your Mortgage, Investments, and Interest Rates Are About to Be Hit – Japan’s Debt Market Is Why
Alaska teen rescued after 3 days in frigid waters reveals tragic end for 2 family members
“No weapons will be allowed on Capitol grounds,” said Northam, a Democrat. “Everything from sticks and bats to chains and projectiles…. The list also includes firearms. It makes no sense to ban every other weapon but allow firearms when intelligence shows that armed militia groups plan to storm the Capitol.”
On the Facebook page for the rally, several attendees are already saying they won’t comply and leave their weapons at home — even though Richmond Mayor Levar Stoney has vowed a hard line on rule-breakers. “Violations of the law will not be tolerated,” Stoney said.
The January 20 event, dubbed “Lobby Day,” was organized by the Virginia Citizens Defense League, a pro-Second Amendment nonprofit, in response to new gun control legislation introduced by the Democrat state Legislature. Northam acknowledged that the organizers had been planning the rally for some time. “I believe them when they say this is a peaceful event — that’s what democracy is,” said Northam. “Unfortunately, they have unleashed something much larger, something they may not be able to control.”
Upwards of 5,000 people said on the Facebook page that they plan to attend. Event organizers have warned the state that as many as 100,000 could show up.
A website for the rally shows that at least 60 buses are scheduled to transport attendees into Richmond on Monday. And there’s word that carpools are being organized. What’s more, armed militia groups are also planning to attend, and some have even described the event as a “boogaloo” — a term that the far right uses to describe a second civil war.
Lindsay Clancy juror denies bias allegations, wants ‘conversation started’ about women’s mental health
Construction rig collapses on 3 cars in Miami, traps workers as fire erupts
Jimmy Kimmel Faces Eye-Popping Budget Cuts to Keep Show Alive as He Learns Americans Just Don’t Care About Him Anymore
Protester confronts Vance during Kansas rally for Sen. Roger Marshall
Democrat Al Green to force House-wide vote on impeaching Trump
Reporter’s Notebook: Congress meets AI as fears of human extinction jolt Capitol Hill
Swedish Left projected for narrow victory in national elections, but pathway to governing coalition unclear
Air Force Officer Shot Down Over Iran Tells ’60 Minutes’ Prayer Got Him Through Harrowing Ordeal: ‘Lord, Your Will Be Done’
Hayden Panettiere Reportedly Died After Ingesting a Single Fentanyl-Laced Pill
Far-left attack backfires spectacularly as radical online personality whines after attacking female Trump aide
Inside House Republicans’ plan to end run Dem opposition and pass Trump-backed voter ID
CrowdFunder for Clancy Holdout Juror Shoots Past $100k After FL Gov. DeSantis Offers ‘Asylum’ as ID Leak Nears
Lindsay Clancy juror says panel saw case as chance to ‘make it better for other women’
Your Mortgage, Investments, and Interest Rates Are About to Be Hit – Japan’s Debt Market Is Why
Alaska teen rescued after 3 days in frigid waters reveals tragic end for 2 family members
In addition to banning weapons on Capitol grounds, Northam also said he’d established a unified command between state police, Capitol police, the Richmond police department, and the city’s first responder teams. This is a critical move — one that’s likely borne out of the lessons learned from the massive law enforcement failures during Unite the Right, which left one dead and dozens injured. Months after that rally, an independent review team released a searing 220-page report analyzing how law enforcement’s disorganization and failure to coordinate across agencies allowed the violent, ugly scenes that unfolded that day.
Northam says that the state of emergency will be lifted on Tuesday.
Story cited here.
