Live Updates: Thousands Descend on Massive Gun Rights Rally in Virginia

By Aaron Kesel

Update: 1:00 p.m. EST — Ford Fischer of News2Share is live talking to protesters on the ground asking them why they attended the rally.

Update:  11:45 a.m. EST — Derrick Broze is LIVE AGAIN for The Mind Unleashed working his way through the crowds toward an InfoWars truck for an apparent speech by Alex Jones.

Broze expressed that the protests are very peaceful so far and he doesn’t expect any “violence or false flags” to occur. He added that there are drones surveying the area and police surrounding the outside of the protests where there are armed protesters and snipers on the roof. He may soon go back through security to get closer to the Virginia Capitol grounds where guns are not allowed during today’s lobby day rally.

According to reports on the ground, the permitted event inside the Capitol grounds will be ending at any moment. The event remains peaceful without any reports of violence. However, there was a report of a suspicious arrest of an individual who was detained on the roof of the Mutual Building on E. Main Street in Richmond according to a local news outlet Times-Dispatch.

The outlet reports that Chuck Potts, senior regional operations manager for Admiral Security Services, stated the man was unarmed.

Update: 11:30 a.m. EST — Derrick Broze just uploaded a video update for The Mind Unleashed to explain what’s happening right now in Richmond, Virginia!

Here’s what Broze has seen on-the-ground so far at the gun rights rally:

Update: 11:15 a.m. EST — Sheriffs and police officers have expressed to Luke Rudkowski that they are down on the ground to “support the constitution against unconstitutional bills that repeal gun rights.”

***

Update: 11:00 a.m. EST — A local reporter on Twitter, Maria Albiges, reports that women have started a march chanting, “no white supremacists” as counter protesters responded with chants for Trump to have “four more years.”

A group of women has started chanting “no white supremacy” and men with gun saves lives stickers are responding with “four more years” pic.twitter.com/8XJpYaZ5Jc

— Marie Albiges (@MarieAlbiges) January 20, 2020

Update: 10:41 a.m. EST — Luke Rudkowski of We Are Change is experiencing live streaming issues with YouTube. He has switched over to Facebook live.

News2Share’s Ford Fischer is experiencing similar issues on Facebook but is providing updates on Twitter.

The #Richmond2ARally is by far the biggest conservative-leaning or pro-gun event I’ve ever filmed. #RichmondVA pic.twitter.com/B310Ak8iLE

— Ford Fischer (@FordFischer) January 20, 2020

Update: 9:54 a.m. EST — Derrick Broze is charging up his battery and will restart the stream here in about 45 minutes.

Early estimates put the number of protesters above 10,000 according to several news outlets.

LOBBY DAY AT VA CAPITOL: Thousands of people have made their way to the #Virginia State Capitol for Lobby Day. @8NEWS has several crews there. Follow live updates here: https://t.co/p1abYMjDSk #VirginiaRally #2ARally #LobbyDay pic.twitter.com/VzcZGKyH6y

— 8News WRIC Richmond (@8NEWS) January 20, 2020

Thousands, perhaps tens of thousands, of gun-rights activists and other groups are descending on Richmond, Virginia for a massive gun rights rally which begins at 11 a.m. EST. 11 a.m. However, rally goes are already being heard chanting “four more years” for President Trump and “Northam out” in reference to Virginia Democratic Governor Ralph Northam.

Investigative journalist Derrick Broze started streaming from the rally live around 8:35am EST.

In anticipation of the rally, Governor Ralph Northam declared a state of emergency on Wednesday, banning all weapons including guns from the rally on Capitol Square. However, outside of the gated area Derrick has shown that there are heavily armed protesters in the early stream.

Local Virginia NBC media outlet WAVY reports there are hundreds of police ready to respond to violence if it occurs.

We’re about 3 hours out from a gun rights rally at the Capitol and these are the crowds we’re seeing. We’ve seen *HUNDREDS* of officers on Capitol grounds and on surrounding streets. @8NEWS pic.twitter.com/JYqPQBSw6A

— Delaney Hall 8News (@DelaneyHallTV) January 20, 2020

Here is a list of banned items inside the Capitol gates:

• firearms
• knives, scissors, needles, razors, and other bladed weapons
• slingshots
• spring sticks or batons
• metal knuckles
• blackjacks
• nunchucks, chains, or other flailing weapons
• throwing stars, knives, darts, or other throwing weapons
• stun guns, tasers
• sticks, poles, bats, baseballs, softballs, glass bottles
• shields, helmets
• toy guns and toy weapons
• drones/sUAS, laser pointers
• caustic substances (pepper spray), aerosol containers
• hazardous materials, fireworks, torches, and open flames
• other dangerous items or items that may be used as weapons

News2Share’s Ford Fischer also reports via Twitter that he was asked to hand over his tripod while entering the gated protest area.

By the way, I can confirm VA state cops made me surrender my tripod on the way in.

I didn’t bring helmet because it’s on list of banned items, but behind me an old man was also made to surrender a lawn chair.

Also cigarettes and lighters being confiscated.

????: @aletweetsnews. pic.twitter.com/TvEeIOnCAS

— Ford Fischer (@FordFischer) January 20, 2020

The Virginia Citizens Defense League, a gun rights group which organized the rally, said it expected up to 50,000 people.

Luke Rudkowski of We Are Change is also live today:

For even more footage from another perspective, see News2Share’s Ford Fischer:

By Aaron Nelson| Creative Commons | TheMindUnleashed.com

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