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U.S. NEWS Thursday 16 January 2020
Northam declares

state of emergency

ahead of gun rally

By ALAN SUDERMAN of causes use the holiday
Associated Press to try and buttonhole law-
RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — Vir- makers. It's also traditionally
ginia Gov. Ralph Northam when pro-gun and gun-
announced Wednesday control advocates hold ral-
that he was declaring a lies. This year, law enforce-
state of emergency over ment officials are expect-
threats of "armed militia ing thousands of gun-rights In this Jan. 8, 2020, file photo, Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam,
groups storming our Capi- advocates to attend a rally center, gestures as he delivers his State of the Commonwealth
tol" ahead of a gun-rights organized by the Virginia address as House Speaker Eileen Filler-Corn, D-Fairfax, right,
rally next week. Northam's Citizens Defense League. and Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax, left, listen before a joint session of the
emergency order will ban The group said its lawyers Virginia Assembly at the state Capitol in Richmond, Va.
Associated Press
weapons of all kinds, in- are reviewing the gover-
cluding firearms, from nor's emergency declara- mond Police said public the Capitol and a legisla-
the Capitol grounds start- tion but did not have im- safety was their top priority tive office building. That
ing Friday and continuing mediate additional com- and they would not toler- ban did not include Capi-
through Tuesday. He said ment. Republicans were ate any acts of violence. tol grounds, which are un-
the order was necessary to mixed in their response. Virginia law enforcement der the governor's control.
protect public safety be- House Minority Leader Del. officials have been criti- Democrats have full con-
cause of potential violence Todd Gilbert lamented that cized for their planning and trol of the statehouse for
from out-of-state groups at "there are legitimate con- response to the Charlot- the first time in a genera-
a gun-rights rally scheduled cerns of a few bad actors tesville rally that involved tion and are set to pass
for Monday. "Let me be hijacking the rally." But Re- heavily armed protesters. a number of gun-control
clear. These are considered publican Party of Virginia One woman was killed and restrictions, including limit-
credible, serious threats Chairman Jack Wilson several more were injured ing handgun purchases to
by our law enforcement condemned Northam's when a car plowed into a once a month and univer-
agencies," Northam said declaration."Northam and group of counterprotesters. sal background checks on
at a Capitol news confer- the rest of the Virginia Dem- Northam's declaration will gun purchases.
ence. He added that some ocrats have made their also ban items like helmets Republicans and gun-rights
of the rhetoric used by session goal crystal clear: a and shields, items that groups have pledged
groups planning to attend disarmed, vulnerable, and some white nationalists car- stiff resistance. Gun own-
Monday's rally is similar to subservient citizenry," Wil- ried in Charlottesville. ers are descending on lo-
what was said in the lead- son said in a statement. Gun laws have become cal government offices
up to a deadly 2017 white The emergency declara- a dominant issue this leg- to demand they establish
nationalist rally in Charlot- tion will mean road closures islative session and there's sanctuaries for gun rights.
tesville. "We will not allow around the Capitol and lim- been a heavy police pres- More than 100 counties,
that mayhem and violence ited access to the grounds, ence at the Capitol. cities and towns have de-
to happen here." Monday including a security check- Northam's planned an- clared themselves Second
is Martin Luther King Jr. Day point with metal detectors. nouncement comes days Amendment sanctuaries
and is known as "Lobby Law enforcement leaders after Democratic leaders and vowed to oppose any
day" in Virginia politics as from the Capitol Police, Vir- used a special rules com- new "unconstitutional re-
advocates for a number ginia State Police and Rich- mittee to ban guns inside strictions" on guns.q

3 who brought mortar round to gate at Pearl Harbor released

By JENNIFER SINCO KELLE- email. "NCIS does not be-
HER lieve that terrorism played
Associated Press any role in the gate inci-
HONOLULU (AP) — A mortar dent yesterday and we
round was found in a vehi- don't believe there is any
cle at a gate to the sprawl- threat to the community,"
ing Pearl Harbor military he wrote Wednesday.
base, shutting down the The vehicle's occupants
base for hours and leading were released Wednes-
three people to be taken day. No information was
into custody, military offi- available about them, and
cials said Wednesday. it's not clear if they will face
It's not clear what the trio charges.
planned to do or where Bringing weapons or ord-
they wanted to go when nance onto the base re-
they were stopped late In this Dec. 4, 2019 file photo security stand outside the main quires coordinating with
Tuesday, base spokesman gate at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam in Hawaii. security, Anthony said.
Charles Anthony said, but Associated Press Hundreds of people, usu-
added, "I don't think their fired by dropping an ex- vice in the car. ally lost, end up at the Pearl
intention was to get on ploding shell into a tube. It was an "inert training Harbor gate daily and are
base." Anthony said there was no round," Naval Criminal In- turned around if they don't
A mortar is a portable explosive material inside vestigative Service spokes- have proper identification
weapon that is loaded and the round and no firing de- man Jeff Houston said in an to enter, he said. q