For Press Inquiries:Brady - Liam Sullivan, [email protected]Coalition to Stop Gun Violence - Samantha Kupferman, [email protected]Everytown for Gun Safety - Mariah McGough, [email protected]Giffords - Jason Phelps, [email protected]Richmond, Virginia, January 15, 2021 - Today, four national gun violence prevention organizations sent an open letter to all members of the Virginia General Assembly, calling on them to pass a prohibition on the open carry of firearms throughout the Commonwealth of Virginia. Following the mass, armed demonstration in Richmond last winter and the assault on the U.S. Capitol this month, and in advance of planned, armed protests nationwide, including in Richmond, the threat that armed intimidation poses to both public safety and our properly functioning government has never been clearer or greater.The letter reads, in part:When extremists are armed, they jeopardize the safety of all residents trying to exercise their freedoms -- and simply live their daily lives -- in public. The sheer presence of firearms has the effect of chilling the exercise of Americans’ First Amendment right to assembly and freedom of speech. When firearms are brought to polling places, they are used as tools of voter suppression that have proliferated in recent years. …This is why the undersigned organizations are calling for a complete ban on the open carry of firearms in Virginia. ...We must ensure that when making [the voices of Virginians] heard on an important issue, when voting, peacefully protesting, shopping at a farmer’s market, or going for a walk in their community, all Virginians are safe from the threat and intimidation of open carrying of firearms.The full text of the letter is available online. ###About BradyBrady has one powerful mission — to unite all Americans against gun violence. We work across Congress, the courts, and our communities with over 90 grassroots chapters, bringing together young and old, red and blue, and every shade of color to find common ground in common sense. In the spirit of our namesakes Jim and Sarah Brady, we have fought for over 45 years to take action, not sides, and we will not stop until this epidemic ends. It’s in our hands.About the Coalition to Stop Gun ViolenceFounded in 1974, the Coalition to Stop Gun Violence is the nation’s oldest gun violence prevention organization. We believe gun violence should be rare and abnormal. CSGV develops and advocates for evidence-based solutions to reduce gun injury and death in all its forms.About Everytown for Gun SafetyEverytown for Gun Safety is the largest gun violence prevention organization in the country with nearly six million supporters and more than 375,000 donors including moms, mayors, survivors, students, and everyday Americans who are fighting for common-sense gun safety measures that can help save lives.About GiffordsGiffords is a nonprofit organization dedicated to saving lives from gun violence. Led by former Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords, Giffords inspires the courage of people from all walks of life to make America safer.
Brady has one powerful mission — to unite all Americans against gun violence. We work across Congress, the courts, and our communities with over 90 grassroots chapters, bringing together young and old, red and blue, and every shade of color to find common ground in common sense. In the spirit of our namesakes Jim and Sarah Brady, we have fought for over 45 years to take action, not sides, and we will not stop until this epidemic ends. It’s in our hands.
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