Organizers of a pro gun rally at the state capitol in Madison say they expect as many as three thousand people to turn out tomorrow at noon for a peaceful protest against President Obama’s gun control proposals.
Tomorrow’s rally is one of dozens planned at state capitols around the country. The Texas-based group Guns Across America began promoting the event about ten days ago via Facebook. Earl Arrowood of Janesville is coordinating plans for the Madison event. He says he’s surprised at the number of Wisconsin responses to the Facebook invitation he posted.
“We’ve been planning this for only nine days and the numbers are just increasing exponentially every single hour, so we’re very happy about that.”
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Arrowood says 7 speakers are already signed up to adress the crowd. He says he is neither encouraging or discouraging people from bringing guns to the rally.
“We’re telling people this is peaceful. We want you to bring a pro 2nd Amendment, pro gun sign with you. You legally have the right to carry concealed. I am not going to tell you not to. I’m not even going to tell you you can’t carry open. We want to be seen as normal everyday people who believe in the 2nd Amendment and the Bill of Rights.”
Arrowood’s group has a permit for the rally and a spokeswoman for the Capitol police says there are no special precautions being taken to prepare for the event. Stephanie Marquis says police may ask people who enter the Capitol building with conceled weapons to prove they have a permit to do so.
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