Armed Gun Rights Advocates Rally At Washington Capitol
By Austin Jenkins
OLYMPIA, Wash. – Several hundred gun rights advocates – many of them armed – rallied at the Washington state Capitol Saturday. Their purpose was to protest any new gun control measures. Similar rallies were organized in Salem, Boise and Coeur d'Alene.
This rally was part of a national 2nd Amendment event called Guns Across America.
Some in the crowd carried signs like “Arm The Teachers” and “Guns Are Not The Problem.” Many carried guns: holstered on hips and slung over shoulders. Semi-automatic military type rifles were common. Scott Robertson wearing a Marine Corps hat had one.
Scott Robertson: “I got an AR-15 style rifle.”
That’s the gun used in the Newtown school shooting and others. Robertson opposes efforts to outlaw rifles like his or restrict the number of rounds as New York state just did.
Scott Robertson: “Whether you have a 30 round magazine or whether you have a handgun and a whole bunch of magazines with only 10 rounds if you reload really fast you’ll achieve the same results.”
Robertson says he’d like to see a focus on financial incentives to buy gun safes and efforts to improve mental health. A couple of counter protesters showed up too in support of new gun control measures. Washington Governor Jay Inslee last week called for – quote - “commonsense” solutions to gun violence.
Photos:
Washington law allows people to openly carry a gun without a permit. By Austin Jenkins.
Some participants brought signs, many others brought their guns. By Austin Jenkins.
Scott Robertson says military style rifles and clip capacity are not the problem. By Austin Jenkins.
