Anti-racist activists say that a massive grassroots movement rising up in opposition to proposed restrictions on gun ownership in Virginia may be rooted in white supremacist sentiment.
Nine out of 10 Virginia counties have declared themselves “Second Amendment” sanctuaries in response to Democrat-backed gun control bills.
The Guardian became one of the first non-conservative news outlets to cover the state’s growing pro-gun movement when it published a wide-ranging feature on the topic on Friday.
The piece, written by senior reporter Lois Beckett, framed the issue around fears that Virginia gun owners’ concerns are being co-opted by extremists.
“The backlash to gun control in Virginia is being fueled by conspiracy theories and misinformation, and some observers worry that the escalating rhetoric may spark violence,” Beckett, who often expresses left-leaning views on Twitter, wrote.
According to The Guardian, Richmond residents fear that a gun rights rally scheduled at Virginia’s state capitol on January 20 will turn violent, like the 2017 Unite the Rally in Charlottesville.
Beckett spoke with anti-racism activists who endorsed the view that opportunistic white supremacists were seeking to capitalize on the moment.
Matthew Christensen, a Charlottesville-area activist who has expressed sympathy for antifa on Twitter, told The Guardian he believes the “Second Amendment sanctuary” movement in Virginia is “rooted in white resentment.”
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