Over the weekend, a dozen people with weapons, flags, and even a large pipe wrench marched through downtown Raleigh. Thank goodness no one was injured or killed.

North Carolinians Against Gun Violence condemns these senseless actions. The only reason that armed people would walk around our state’s capital is to intimidate innocent bystanders and send a message that somehow a stay-home order infringes on Second Amendment rights. This is false: firearm stores have remained open under the governor’s stay-home order.

On May 1, another group of armed men mocked a North Carolina law prohibiting weapons at rallies, stating that that the law, which two officers tried to hand them in writing, to explain why the group could not carry at protests, was “worthless paper.” NCGV stands with North Carolina’s law-abiding firearm owners, and joins voices from around the state in condemning these lawless protests. North Carolina is one of only six states that does not allow firearms at rallies. We agree with Supreme Court Justice Scalia’s majority opinion in the District of Columbia v Heller (2008) that said that the Second Amendment was not unlimited and that a range of firearm regulations are fully consistent with the Second Amendment. It is common sense not to have weapons at rallies.

People open carrying firearms at rallies and Subway shops are there to intimidate others plain and simple. We will not stand for this in our communities.

NCGV board member, Gerald D. Givens Jr., president of Raleigh-Apex NAACP said, “Weapons and firearms will not protect us from COVID-19. Staying at home, social distancing and wearing masks prevent us from passing around the virus. Instead of seeking to intimidate each other we should be encouraging one another to protect our families, neighbors and those on the front lines everyday from COVID-19.”

Becky Ceartas

Executive director of North Carolinians Against Gun Violence

The NCGV is a nonprofit organization that has been working for more than 25 years to reduce the number of incidents of gun-related deaths in our state each year. For more information on NCGV visit www.ncgv.org.