Armed activists – many affiliated with the “boogaloo” movement – marched in Richmond, Virginia on Monday, passing by signs designating the area as a gun-free zone per a seemingly unenforced local ordinance.
The Virginia Citizen’s Defense League (VCDL), a pro-gun org that lobbies state legislators annually, had a truck where armed activists could check in their weapons to enter the state house.
“Why would I wanna check my weapon?” asked one activist with a rifle. “There’s nothing wrong with it! It looks great.”
When armed groups tried to enter this gun-free zone adjacent to the Virginia Capitol in the past two years, police have prevented them from doing so.
This year, they walked past the sign and police, who did not intervene, but bantered about the cold weather with the group.
“I got a ‘Proud Militia Violent Extremist’ patch, because I am,” explained a man ID’ing as “Sasquatch.”
He explains that in addition to his rifle, he wore a “full combat medic kit.”
“I have ways to make holes, plug holes.”
A pair of the armed activists were adorned with patches celebrating both Republican and Trump symbols as well as the Pan-African flag and BLM.
One explained that “We vote Republican because they support gun rights, otherwise we’re both very progressive.”
A pair of armed activists identifying as “Bonnie & Clyde” kissed in front of the Virginia Capitol and said “this is our version of a date.” They say they have 5 kids, whom they teach about guns. One says guns have been a “comfort blanket” following a self-defense incident.
The VCDL held their own (unarmed) pro-gun rally on the VA Capitol grounds.
State Senator Amanda Chase spoke, promised to fight state gun legislation passed since 2020 including red flag laws and one allowing stricter local gun restrictions.
BLM757, Fred Hampton Gun Club & BLMRVA held an armed rally in Richmond, Virginia later in the afternoon demanding reparations for descendants of enslaved people.
A speaker described other groups getting reparations including former slave owners, “but the Black man and Black woman.”
The armed group of activists for reparations marched into the gun-free zone at the Richmond State Capitol. While not enforcing the gun free zone, police approached the group and told them they had to move back toward a sidewalk on account of not having a protest permit. The group complied.
Virginia Delegate AC Cordoza (R) spoke with BLM activists who encouraged him to patron a state bill that would study the concept of reparations for descendants of slavery.
“I don’t have problems with studies” he said and added that he’d be willing to look into it further.
