Caravans of gun-rights activists converge peacefully in Richmond amid calls to end open carry

RICHMOND, Va (WRIC)- As threats of armed protests loom over state capitals nationwide, caravans of gun-rights activists from across the Commonwealth converged peacefully in Richmond on Monday.

Meanwhile, gun control advocates and some prominent Democratic leaders are calling for an end to open carry in Virginia in response to the violent insurrection at the U.S. Capitol earlier this month. 

Lobby Day–held annually on Martin Luther King Day–generally brings various advocacy groups to Richmond as the legislative session kicks off. This year, various event permits on the grounds of the State Capitol were pulled at the last minute to reduce opportunities for violence. 

Even before Richmond went on high alert, Virginia Citizens Defense League President Philip Van Cleave said they were denied a permit. With the coronavirus in mind, the group decided to organize a rolling caravan with a virtual lineup of speakers to keep up a tradition dating back to 2002.

“The bottom line is the fight to defend our Second Amendment rights is never won. It has to be fought continually by people that care about it,” Del. Nick Freitas (R-Culpeper) said during his per-recorded remarks. 

The event brought car trains from at least 12 localities to the streets of Richmond on Monday afternoon. The fragmented caravans made their way down Broad Street for several hours throughout the afternoon, hardly disrupting traffic.