Judge upholds weapons ban for rally at Virginia capitol

A Virginia judge has ruled in support of a state of emergency Gov. Ralph Northam (D) put in place on the state capitol Wednesday to temporarily ban guns ahead of a rally scheduled for Monday.  

Northam declared a state of emergency citing “credible intelligence from our law enforcement agencies of threats of violence.”

We have received credible intelligence from our law enforcement agencies of threats of violence surrounding the demonstration planned for Monday, January 20. This includes extremist rhetoric similar to what has been seen before major incidents, such as Charlottesville in 2017.

— Ralph Northam (@GovernorVA) January 15, 2020

After he made the emergency declaration, the organizers of the really, the Virginia Citizens Defense League and Gunowners of America, filed an injunction. They argued that prohibiting them to assemble with firearms is a breach of the Second Amendment and freedom of speech. 

Richmond Circuit Court Judge Joi Taylor’s Thursday ruling rejecting that requested injunction came hours after the FBI announced the arrest of three suspected neo-Nazis in Maryland who planned to protest Virginia gun control measures.

In a statement, Virginia Attorney General Mark Herring said “there have been multiple, credible threats of violence and individuals from across the country have expressed their intent to descend on our Capitol, including three white nationalists who were arrested earlier today by the FBI.”

“I am pleased that the injunction has been denied,” he added. 

Democrats captured complete control of the Virginia state legislature in last year’s elections and have vowed to make gun safety measures a key part of their 2020 agenda.