On Saturday, January 19, gun advocates gathered at state capitals around the U.S. to protest stricter gun laws as part of the nationwide event “Guns Across America” organized by the website Gun Control = More Crime, which supports the preservation of the 2nd Amendment. An estimated 900 protesters, carrying signs, rifles and handguns, peacefully showed their support outside the Ohio Statehouse in downtown Columbus, periodically marching around Capitol Square.

Matt Smith, 29, of Cincinnati organized the Ohio event by creating a Facebook page for the rally, posting flyers in gun shops and other businesses and sending press releases to various news publications. Smith, a member of the NRA and 2nd Amendment Foundation, said he and other organizers were pleased with the turnout as it exceeded the 500-700 they had estimated would attend. Gun advocates began gathering around 10 a.m. and the rally officially ended at 3 p.m.

Contact Shane Flanigan at [email protected].