An MSNBC news anchor reported, without evidence, that “thousands” of “white nationalists” were protesting at Monday’s 2nd Amendment rights rally in Richmond, Virginia.
MSNBC’s Craig Melvin spoke Monday on “MSNBC Live with Craig Melvin” about the annual event protesting gun control proposals. The rally is organized by Virginia Citizens Defense League (VCDL), a non-profit pro-2nd Amendment group.
Melvin offered no evidence backing up his claim that “thousands” of “white nationalists” had descended on the capitol.
“Thousands of gun rights activists, white nationalists, militia groups all swarming the Virginia State Capitol in Richmond,” Melvin said Monday as a video showed aerial footage of the event.
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There have been no reported arrests so far at Monday’s event, according to CNN.
VCDL urged rally-goers to keep the peace before the rally, and the event was not organized by white supremacists. Despite this, multiple reporters have accused the pro-gun rally of being home to white nationalists.
Many of these reports cite three suspected neo-Nazi’s who were arrested prior to the event. They reportedly had weapons and were speaking about attending the rally. One of the men arrested was an illegal immigrant from Canada. (RELATED: Antifa Group Plans To March Alongside Pro-Gun Protesters In Virginia)
More pictures of people carrying rifles at the #VirginiaRally and more evidence that debunks the narrative that the rally is filled with racists and white supremacists. pic.twitter.com/V0jGLpKW2d
— Julio Rosas (@Julio_Rosas11) January 20, 2020
Julio Rosas, a senior writer at TownHall, was at Monday’s rally. He tweeted out images debunking the narrative that the pro-gun rally was riddled with white supremacists.
MSNBC did not immediately respond to a request for comment from the Daily Caller.