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Battle Royale at Capitol Square over gun rights

Posted at 6:59 PM, Jan 19, 2015
and last updated 2015-01-19 19:01:34-05

RICHMOND, Va. -- The Martin Luther King holiday often brings one thing to the State Capitol--thousands of Virginians lobbying for issues important to them.

There were those who support Uber, those who want student loan reform, and even school nurses who want more resources.

But, no single cause attracted more than the issue of guns.

Supporters on both sides held rallies at the State Capitol to highlight key pieces of legislation. Those who support the expansion of gun rights want more access to carrying guns on school grounds and at airports, as well as lifetime gun permits.

"They want to take away your right little by little," Stephen Kim, who carried his AR 15 on Capitol grounds Monday, said.

"There are less people getting shot at schools than there were in the 70s," Terry Santore, another Second Amendment supporter said.

But, Midlothian's Lisette Johnson couldn't disagree more.

" A little over five years ago, my verbally abusive husband came into the bedroom and shot me several times," Johnson said. "I have a problem with people having guns who have demonstrated they are violent."

Johnson joined Attorney General Mark Herring at a 2 p.m. vigil to remember the lives lost from gun violence.

Gun control advocates are supporting measures to bring back the one gun a month rule, background checks at gun shows, and bans for those convicted of sexual assault violence.

Insiders tell CBS 6 that little is likely to happen this year on both sides.

Any gun control measure will likely be thwarted by the Republican controlled General Assembly, while any expansion of rights will likely be vetoed by Governor Terry McAuliffe.