This Abridge News topic aggregates four unique arguments on different sides of the debate. Here are the quick facts to get you started:
THE QUICK FACTS
- On Monday, an estimated 22,000 people demonstrated their opposition to new gun control measures on the grounds of the Virginia State Capitol in Richmond. The rally, which had been planned for weeks, was peaceful despite the presence of some armed militia groups.
- The protesters were voicing their opposition to three recent gun measures passed in the state of Virginia: a limit to one handgun purchase a month, universal background checks on gun sales, and a rule that allows local officials to ban guns in some public places.
- Concerns about violence and extremists dominated the public discourse leading up to the rally, with many fearing a repeat of the deadly white nationalist rally in Charlottesville, VA.
- Virginia Governor Ralph Northam declared a state of emergency last Wednesday, citing "credible intelligence" that hate groups and armed militias were threatening violence. He also banned firearms and other weapons from the location of the rally.
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