Pro-gun rally by thousands in Virginia ends peacefully

(AP) Tens of thousands of gun-rights activists from around the country rallied peacefully at the Virginia Capitol to protest plans by the state’s Democratic leadership to pass gun-control legislation, a move that has become a key flash point in the national debate over gun violence.

The size of Monday’s rally and the expected participation of white supremacists and fringe militia groups raised fears that the state could see a repeat of the violence that exploded in 2017 in Charlottesville.

But the rally concluded uneventfully around noon, and the mood was largely festive. Attendees spilled into the streets, chanting “USA” and waving signs denouncing Democratic Gov. Ralph Northam.