A gun-rights rally drew an estimated 22,000 people to Richmond on Monday for Virginia’s annual Lobby Day. Here are some scenes of the event.
EDITOR’S NOTE: A photo in this gallery includes language some may consider graphic.
GALLERY: Gun-rights rally outside Va.’s Capitol
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Protesters at the gun-rights rally in Richmond, Virginia, Jan. 20, 2020.
(草莓传媒/Alejandro Alvarez)
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One of many ‘Come and Take It’ banners at the rally in Richmond, Virginia, Jan. 20, 2020.
(草莓传媒/Alejandro Alvarez)
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A scene from the gun-rights rally in Richmond, Virginia, Jan. 20, 2020.
(草莓传媒/Alejandro Alvarez)
(草莓传媒/Alejandro Alvarez)
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The first confirmed arrest (and the only one I鈥檓 aware of) 鈥� a 21-year-old Richmond woman charged with one felony count of wearing a mask in public.
— Alejandro Alvarez (@aletweetsnews)
I actually saw her being detained outside the library. She was chanting something. Nobody around me could say what happened.
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A scene from the gun-rights rally in Richmond, Virginia, Jan. 20, 2020.
(草莓传媒/Alejandro Alvarez)
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A protester at the gun-rights rally in Richmond, Virginia, Jan. 20, 2020.
(草莓传媒/Alejandro Alvarez)
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A scene from the gun-rights rally in Richmond, Virginia, Jan. 20, 2020.
(草莓传媒/Alejandro Alvarez)
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A view of the crowd at the gun-right rally in Richmond, Virginia, Jan. 20, 2020.
(草莓传媒/Alejandro Alvarez)
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A view of the crowd at the gun-rights rally in Richmond, Virginia, Jan. 20, 2020.
(草莓传媒/Alejandro Alvarez)
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A gun-rights protester at the rally in Richmond, Virginia, Jan. 20, 2020.
(草莓传媒/Alejandro Alvarez)
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Gun-rights protesters converge on the Virginia State House on Jan. 20, 2020.
(草莓传媒/Alejandro Alvarez)
A man walks in the crowd during a pro-gun rally, Monday, Jan. 20, 2020, in Richmond, Va. Thousands of pro-gun supporters are expected at the rally to oppose gun control legislation like universal background checks that are being pushed by the newly elected Democratic legislature.
A man walks in the crowd during a pro-gun rally, Monday, Jan. 20, 2020, in Richmond, Va. Thousands of pro-gun supporters are expected at the rally to oppose gun control legislation like universal background checks that are being pushed by the newly elected Democratic legislature.
Demonstrators stand outside a security zone before a pro gun rally, Monday, Jan. 20, 2020, in Richmond, Va.
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This altered flag was one of many Texas flags at the gun-rights protest in Richmond, Virginia, Jan. 20, 2020.
(草莓传媒/Alejandro Alvarez)
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A scene from the gun-rights protest in Richmond, Virginia, Jan. 20, 2020.
(草莓传媒/Alejandro Alvarez)
(草莓传媒/Alejandro Alvarez)
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The streets are opening back up and I think it鈥檚 safe to say this Richmond rally is over. More police and media than attendees at this point. That鈥檚 my cue to call it a day and finally get some place warm. So long for now!
— Alejandro Alvarez (@aletweetsnews)
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Culpeper County, Virginia, Sheriff Scott Jenkins speaks during a gun rights rally organized by The Virginia Citizens Defense League on Capitol Square near the state capital building January 20, 2020 in Richmond, Virginia. Jenkins has promised to deputize thousands of his county’s gun owners if Democrats pass more restrictive gun laws. During elections last year, Virginia Governor Ralph Northam promised to enact sweeping gun control laws in 2020, including limiting handgun purchase to one per month, banning military-style weapons and silencers, allowing localities to ban guns in public spaces and enacting a ‘red flag’ law so authorities can temporarily seize weapons from someone deemed a threat. While event organizers have asked supporters to show up un-armed, militias and other extremist groups from across the country plan to attend the rally and show their support for gun rights.
(Getty Images/Chip Somodevilla)
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Thousands of gun rights advocates attend a rally organized by The Virginia Citizens Defense League on Capitol Square near the state capital building January 20, 2020 in Richmond, Virginia. During elections last year, Virginia Governor Ralph Northam promised to enact sweeping gun control laws in 2020, including limiting handgun purchase to one per month, banning military-style weapons and silencers, allowing localities to ban guns in public spaces and enacting a ‘red flag’ law so authorities can temporarily seize weapons from someone deemed a threat. While event organizers have asked supporters to show up un-armed, militias and other extremist groups from across the country plan to attend the rally and show their support for gun rights.
(Getty Images/Chip Somodevilla)
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Virginia Citizens Defense League President Philip Van Cleave addresses a rally he organized on Capitol Square near the state capital building January 20, 2020 in Richmond, Virginia. During elections last year, Virginia Governor Ralph Northam promised to enact sweeping gun control laws in 2020, including limiting handgun purchase to one per month, banning military-style weapons and silencers, allowing localities to ban guns in public spaces and enacting a ‘red flag’ law so authorities can temporarily seize weapons from someone deemed a threat. While event organizers have asked supporters to show up un-armed, militias and other extremist groups from across the country plan to attend the rally and show their support for gun rights.
(Getty Images/Chip Somodevilla)
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York County, Virginia, Sheriff Danny Diggs speaks during a gun rights rally organized by The Virginia Citizens Defense League on Capitol Square near the state capital building January 20, 2020 in Richmond, Virginia. During elections last year, Virginia Governor Ralph Northam promised to enact sweeping gun control laws in 2020, including limiting handgun purchase to one per month, banning military-style weapons and silencers, allowing localities to ban guns in public spaces and enacting a ‘red flag’ law so authorities can temporarily seize weapons from someone deemed a threat. While event organizers have asked supporters to show up un-armed, militias and other extremist groups from across the country plan to attend the rally and show their support for gun rights.
(Getty Images/Chip Somodevilla)
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Signs comparing Virginia Governor Ralph Northam to Adolph Hitler were carried by some of the thousands of gun rights advocates that attended a rally organized by The Virginia Citizens Defense League near the State Capitol building January 20, 2020 in Richmond, Virginia. During elections last year, Northam promised to enact sweeping gun control laws in 2020, including limiting handgun purchase to one per month, banning military-style weapons and silencers, allowing localities to ban guns in public spaces and enacting a ‘red flag’ law so authorities can temporarily seize weapons from someone deemed a threat. While event organizers have asked supporters to show up un-armed, militias and other extremist groups from across the country plan to attend the rally and show their support for gun rights.
(Getty Images/Chip Somodevilla)
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Assembly delegates stand on the steps of the Virginia State Capital to show their support for thousands of gun rights advocates that gathered there for a rally organized by The Virginia Citizens Defense League on Capitol Square January 20, 2020 in Richmond, Virginia. During elections last year, Virginia Governor Ralph Northam promised to enact sweeping gun control laws in 2020, including limiting handgun purchase to one per month, banning military-style weapons and silencers, allowing localities to ban guns in public spaces and enacting a ‘red flag’ law so authorities can temporarily seize weapons from someone deemed a threat. While event organizers have asked supporters to show up un-armed, militias and other extremist groups from across the country plan to attend the rally and show their support for gun rights.
(Getty Images/Chip Somodevilla)
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Gun rights advocates attend a rally organized by The Virginia Citizens Defense League on Capitol Square near the state capitol building January 20, 2020 in Richmond, Virginia. During elections last year, Virginia Governor Ralph Northam promised to enact sweeping gun control laws in 2020, including limiting handgun purchase to one per month, banning military-style weapons and silencers.
(Getty Images/Win McNamee)
(Getty Images/Win McNamee)
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The main event went on for about an hour and at this rate I鈥檒l spend twice as long waiting to get out. Security ended up cramming everyone through the one exit. It鈥檚 a human traffic jam.
— Alejandro Alvarez (@aletweetsnews)
But calm. Nothing remotely near tense for most of the morning.
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Anti-white supremacy protesters hold banners as they shout anti-Trump slogans at the end of a rally by gun supporters outside the Virginia State Capitol grounds in Richmond, Virginia on January 20, 2020. – Several thousand gun rights supporters massed near the Virginia state capitol Monday for a rally under heavy surveillance and a state of emergency declared by authorities fearing violence by far-right groups. Dressed in hunting jackets and caps, rally-goers were checked for weapons as they passed through tight security before entering a fenced off area of Richmond’s Capitol Square for the so-called “Lobby Day” event.
(AFP via Getty Images/ROBERTO SCHMIDT)
(AFP via Getty Images/ROBERTO SCHMIDT)
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Somebody parked a guillotine on Franklin and 9th. Says 鈥渢he penalty for treason is death鈥� at the top. Doesn鈥檛 look like it actually works, for what it鈥檚 worth.
— Alejandro Alvarez (@aletweetsnews)
(AFP via Getty Images/ROBERTO SCHMIDT)
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Next speaker jokes she looked up tyrant in the dictionary and saw a picture of Northam.
— Alejandro Alvarez (@aletweetsnews)
By the way, that IS a dude in a banana costume. See his sign at the end. It鈥檚 a NSFW diss on Bloomberg, second to Northam as the name I鈥檝e seen most villanized here.
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Thousands of gun rights advocates attend a rally organized by The Virginia Citizens Defense League on Capitol Square near the state capital building January 20, 2020 in Richmond, Virginia. During elections last year, Virginia Governor Ralph Northam promised to enact sweeping gun control laws in 2020, including limiting handgun purchase to one per month, banning military-style weapons and silencers, allowing localities to ban guns in public spaces and enacting a ‘red flag’ law so authorities can temporarily seize weapons from someone deemed a threat. While event organizers have asked supporters to show up un-armed, militias and other extremist groups from across the country plan to attend the rally and show their support for gun rights.
(Getty Images/Chip Somodevilla)
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Thousands of gun rights advocates attend a rally organized by The Virginia Citizens Defense League on Capitol Square near the state capital building January 20, 2020 in Richmond, Virginia. During elections last year, Virginia Governor Ralph Northam promised to enact sweeping gun control laws in 2020, including limiting handgun purchase to one per month, banning military-style weapons and silencers, allowing localities to ban guns in public spaces and enacting a ‘red flag’ law so authorities can temporarily seize weapons from someone deemed a threat. While event organizers have asked supporters to show up un-armed, militias and other extremist groups from across the country plan to attend the rally and show their support for gun rights.
(Getty Images/Chip Somodevilla)
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A flyer left in the Pocahontas Building at the Virginia State Capitol.
(草莓传媒/Max Smith)
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Thousands of gun rights advocates attend a rally organized by The Virginia Citizens Defense League on Capitol Square near the state capital building January 20, 2020 in Richmond, Virginia. During elections last year, Virginia Governor Ralph Northam promised to enact sweeping gun control laws in 2020, including limiting handgun purchase to one per month, banning military-style weapons and silencers, allowing localities to ban guns in public spaces and enacting a ‘red flag’ law so authorities can temporarily seize weapons from someone deemed a threat. While event organizers have asked supporters to show up un-armed, militias and other extremist groups from across the country plan to attend the rally and show their support for gun rights.
(Getty Images/Chip Somodevilla)
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Gun rights advocates attend a rally organized by The Virginia Citizens Defense League on Capitol Square near the state capitol building on January 20, 2020 in Richmond, Virginia. During elections last year, Virginia Governor Ralph Northam promised to enact sweeping gun control laws in 2020, including limiting handgun purchase to one per month, banning military-style weapons and silencers, allowing localities to ban guns in public spaces and enacting a ‘red flag’ law so authorities can temporarily seize weapons from someone deemed a threat. While event organizers have asked supporters to show up un-armed, militias and other far-right groups from across the country plan to attend the rally and show their support for gun rights.
(Getty Images/Zach Gibson)
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Gun rights advocates chant during a rally organized by The Virginia Citizens Defense League on Capitol Square near the state capitol building on January 20, 2020 in Richmond, Virginia. During elections last year, Virginia Governor Ralph Northam promised to enact sweeping gun control laws in 2020, including limiting handgun purchase to one per month, banning military-style weapons and silencers, allowing localities to ban guns in public spaces and enacting a ‘red flag’ law so authorities can temporarily seize weapons from someone deemed a threat. While event organizers have asked supporters to show up un-armed, militias and other far-right groups from across the country plan to attend the rally and show their support for gun rights.
(Getty Images/Zach Gibson)
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Gun rights advocates attend a rally organized by The Virginia Citizens Defense League on Capitol Square near the state capitol building on January 20, 2020 in Richmond, Virginia. During elections last year, Virginia Governor Ralph Northam promised to enact sweeping gun control laws in 2020, including limiting handgun purchase to one per month, banning military-style weapons and silencers, allowing localities to ban guns in public spaces and enacting a ‘red flag’ law so authorities can temporarily seize weapons from someone deemed a threat. While event organizers have asked supporters to show up un-armed, militias and other far-right groups from across the country plan to attend the rally and show their support for gun rights.
(Getty Images/Zach Gibson)
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Gun rights advocates attend a rally organized by The Virginia Citizens Defense League on Capitol Square near the state capitol building January 20, 2020 in Richmond, Virginia. During elections last year, Virginia Governor Ralph Northam promised to enact sweeping gun control laws in 2020, including limiting handgun purchase to one per month, banning military-style weapons and silencers.
(Getty Images/Win McNamee)
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Gun rights advocates attend a rally organized by The Virginia Citizens Defense League on Capitol Square near the state capitol building January 20, 2020 in Richmond, Virginia. During elections last year, Virginia Governor Ralph Northam promised to enact sweeping gun control laws in 2020, including limiting handgun purchase to one per month, banning military-style weapons and silencers.
(Getty Images/Win McNamee)
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One of the signs referring to Va. Gov. Ralph Northam at the gun-rights rally in Richmond Jan. 20, 2020.
(草莓传媒/Max Smith)
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Gun rights advocates attend a rally organized by The Virginia Citizens Defense League on Capitol Square near the state capitol building January 20, 2020 in Richmond, Virginia. During elections last year, Virginia Governor Ralph Northam promised to enact sweeping gun control laws in 2020, including limiting handgun purchase to one per month, banning military-style weapons and silencers.
(Getty Images/Win McNamee)
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One of the signs at the gun-rights rally at the Virginia Capitol Jan. 20, 2020.
(草莓传媒/Max Smith)
(草莓传媒/Max Smith)
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The rally has started. It鈥檚 hard to get a good look. One of the first speakers is Dick Heller (of DC v. Heller fame) who claims Virginia is one of the safest states in the country so it doesn鈥檛 need gun laws, which he thinks are an excuse for 鈥渃onfiscation.鈥�
— Alejandro Alvarez (@aletweetsnews)
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The pro-gun rally begins in front of the Capitol in Richmond, Virginia.
(草莓传媒/Max Smith)
(草莓传媒/Max Smith)
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If there鈥檚 any rallying going on right now, it鈥檚 happening outside the gun-free zone. Crowd out there is a lot more animated. So far they鈥檝e gone through both the national anthem and pledge of allegiance twice. They booed Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax.
— Alejandro Alvarez (@aletweetsnews)
(草莓传媒/Max Smith)
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The narrow road between the federal courthouse and state offices is alive with dozens of Gadsden flags and Trump 2020 banners. They鈥檙e cycling through chants of 鈥渨e will not comply鈥� and 鈥淣ortham has got to go.鈥�
— Alejandro Alvarez (@aletweetsnews)
(草莓传媒/Max Smith)
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Sidewalks were overcrowding so it鈥檚 a relief the streets outside the statehouse just closed to traffic. I鈥檓 standing near a group of rallygoers in hunting camo who鈥檝e stopped to appreciate a gigantic banner of a rifle with the words 鈥渃ome and take it.鈥�
— Alejandro Alvarez (@aletweetsnews)
(草莓传媒/Max Smith)
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Police at the checkpoint are predictably being very thorough: The line I鈥檓 in got held up while they were determining if a flask is contraband (the verdict: it isn鈥檛 - provided you pour out the booze). Another journalist here had to abandon his tripod.
— Alejandro Alvarez (@aletweetsnews)
(草莓传媒/Max Smith)
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Two signs I noticed weaving through the growing crowd here: A placard of the infamous yearbook photo and another likening Northam to Hitler.
— Alejandro Alvarez (@aletweetsnews)
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A protester speaks to a crowd in front of the Virginia State Capitol building in Richmond, Virginia on January 20, 2020. – Thousands of gun rights supporters descended for a rally in the grounds of the State Capitol under heavy surveillance after authorities were forced to declare a state of emergency for fear of violence by far-right groups.
(AFP via Getty Images/ROBERTO SCHMIDT)
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A protester holds a sign in front of the Virginia State Capitol building in Richmond, Virginia on January 20, 2020. – Thousands of gun rights supporters descended for a rally in the grounds of the State Capitol under heavy surveillance after authorities were forced to declare a state of emergency for fear of violence by far-right groups.
(AFP via Getty Images/ROBERTO SCHMIDT)
(AFP via Getty Images/ROBERTO SCHMIDT)
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Starting my thread with a look around the checkpoint on North 9th Street. Big RV covered with Trump banners rounding the corner at the state capitol as I got here.
— Alejandro Alvarez (@aletweetsnews)
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Demonstrators stand on the capitol grounds ahead of a pro gun rally, Monday, Jan. 20, 2020, in Richmond, Va.
(AP/Steve Helber)
A demonstrator stands on the sidewalk before a pro gun rally, Monday, Jan. 20, 2020, in Richmond, Va. There was a light crowd early morning Monday outside the Capitol ahead of the rally.
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A scene from the gun-rights rally outside the Virginia Capitol Jan. 20, 2020.
(草莓传媒/Max Smith)
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A scene from the gun-rights rally outside the Virginia Capitol Jan. 20, 2020.
(草莓传媒/Max Smith)
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A scene from the gun-rights rally outside the Virginia Capitol Jan. 20, 2020.
(草莓传媒/Max Smith)
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Kem Regik, of Virginia, stands on the sidewalk before a pro gun rally, Monday, Jan. 20, 2020, in Richmond, Va. There was a light crowd early morning Monday outside the Capitol ahead of the rally.
(AP/Julio Cortez)
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Virginia State police troopers stand near a security checkpoint before demonstrators enter the capitol grounds ahead of a pro gun rally, Monday, Jan. 20, 2020, in Richmond, Va.
(AP/Steve Helber)
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Demonstrators stand outside a security zone before a pro gun rally, Monday, Jan. 20, 2020, in Richmond, Va.
(AP/Julio Cortez)
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Demonstrators stand outside a security zone before a pro gun rally, Monday, Jan. 20, 2020, in Richmond, Va.
(AP/Julio Cortez)
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Pro-gun demonstrators gather near the Virginia Capitol in the early hours of Jan. 20, 2020.
(草莓传媒/Max Smith)
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Pro-gun demonstrators gather at the Virginia Capitol in the early hours of Monday, Jan. 20, 2020.
(草莓传媒/Max Smith)
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A gun-rights protester in front of the Virginia Capitol Jan. 20, 2020.
(草莓传媒/Max Smith)
