Thousands of gun rights supporters will descend Monday on Richmond, the capital of Virginia, for a rally already under heavy surveillance and a state of emergency declared by authorities fearing violence by far-right groups.

The demonstrators will gather in front of the Capitol building for a so-called "Lobby Day" organized by the Virginia Citizens Defense League (VCDL), which opposes gun control laws proposed by state Democrats, who control the Virginia government.

The VCDL has condemned what it considers a breach of the Second Amendment of the US Constitution, which states that "the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed." The amendment has proved controversial over the years and has been subject to many different interpretations.

The Supreme Court has ruled that individuals have the right to keep firearms in their households, but left it to states to determine how the weapons could be transported.

President Donald Trump, a major ally of the pro-gun lobby, expressed his support for the protesters on Twitter Friday.

"Your 2nd Amendment is under very serious attack in the Great Commonwealth of Virginia," he wrote. "That's what happens when you vote for Democrats, they will take your guns away. Republicans will win Virginia in 2020. Thank you Dems!"

Richmond was a capital of the pro-slavery Confederacy, and Virginia has traditionally leaned conservative.

But the state, which adjoins the capital Washington, flipped in November and passed into Democratic hands. State Democrats promised to tackle what they considered the laxity surrounding firearms carrying laws, particularly after a May 2019 shooting in Virginia Beach that left 12 dead.

The new laws under consideration would prohibit magazines with more than 10 rounds, the purchase of more than one weapon per month, and permit judges to seize weapons from individuals deemed dangerous.

A draft ban on the sale of semi-automatic rifles, however, has been abandoned.

A backlash to the restrictions has spread throughout the state, and more than 100 counties and localities have declared themselves Second Amendment sanctuaries, threatening not to apply the new laws.

- Far-right, paramilitaries -

Security around the Capitol square has been increased, and authorities have arranged for extra police reinforcements to prevent any misconduct, as several far-right and paramilitary groups have said they would attend.

Democratic Governor Ralph Northam on Wednesday declared a state of emergency for the rally site, which has been in effect since Friday and will continue through Tuesday evening.

Carrying firearms, normally allowed in the streets, is prohibited, as are dangerous objects such as baseball bats and chains.

"The VCDL (organizers) have intended this to be a peaceful event, but they have unleashed something much larger that they might not be able to control," Northam said.

The governor said they have seen "credible and serious threats" of "violence, armed confrontation and assault on our Capitol (from) groups with action plans."

The groups include out-of-state militias and hate groups, he said.

"No one wants to see an incident like the one we saw in Charlottesville," Northam said, referring to another Virginia city where clashes between white supremacists and anti-racist demonstrators in August 2017 resulted in one dead and dozens wounded.

At the end of last week, the FBI arrested seven alleged members of the white extremist group "The Base" suspected of trying to create trouble at the rally.

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FBI arrests US, Canadian 'white extremists' ahead of pro-gun rally
Washington (AFP) Jan 17, 2020
The FBI arrested three alleged members of the white extremist group "The Base" Thursday, saying they accumulated ammunition and built a functioning automatic weapon, days before a Virginia rally against gun controls. Federal prosecutors in Greenbelt, Maryland said that US citizens Brian Lemley, 33, and William Bilbrough, 19, and Canadian Patrik Jordan Mathews, 27, were all charged with felony firearms violations. Lemley and Bilbrough were also charged in relation to transporting and harboring an ... read more