Second Amendment supporters and gun owners are expected to stand together on the Old County Courthouse lawn Saturday morning. The Orange County Second Amendment Rally is being held to advocate for gun rights and create discussion within the community.

Rally organizers Ashley Campbell and Daniel Johnson are Orange County residents who were inspired to create the event due to a Facebook poll of local residents on gun rights.

Johnson says the purpose is to educate and spark more conversation between those who support gun rights and those who support gun reform.

“It’s just trying to show that those of us who are pro-Second Amendment, we’re not these militant groups people picture,” says Johnson. “We’re not this group of just NRA members.”

Campbell partnered with Johnson to help organize the event after initially learning about it. She shares his vision for the rally and its purpose.

“We want this to be a fun get-together,” says Campbell, “not anything intending to incite people or rabble-rouse necessarily, but more to be education and fun.”

The rally will feature an array of speakers. Multiple Republican candidates for North Carolina House seats will share their thoughts on the second amendment, as well as I’m The Majority activist Mark Keith Robinson. Other local advocates and Orange County residents will speak as well.

North Carolina has laws prohibiting the use or possession of firearms at rallies, and Orange County has regulations banning firearms from the courthouse grounds. But Campbell and the organizers have a solution for any attending gun-owners.

“In order to protest [that legislation], while still obeying the law,” says Campbell, “it’s going to be an empty-holster protest. That’s what it is called in the pro-Second Amendment community.”

The rally will even be giving out a prize to the attendee wearing the most empty holsters, as well as the attendee who traveled the farthest to attend Saturday’s event.

Johnson encourages people of all ideologies to attend but advises against anyone trying to disrupt the event.

“Do not come out trying to cause a problem,” he says, “because if you do, you will be asked to leave. This is a family-friendly event, and we’re just trying to show that all of us who are pro-gun are your neighbors. We’re not this entity that’s way out there.”

The Orange County Second Amendment Rally will be held at the Old County Courthouse in Hillsborough, from 10 a.m. until 12 p.m. on Saturday.

Related Stories
‹
Cooper Vetoes Bill Eliminating Pistol Purchase Permit System
Written by HANNAH SCHOENBAUM North Carolina Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper vetoed Republican gun legislation Friday that would no longer require sheriff approval before someone can purchase a handgun, initiating his first showdown of the session with an increased — and nearly veto-proof — GOP majority. The bill repealing the state’s long-standing pistol purchase permit requirement now returns […]
Warrants Taken Against 2 at Weekend KKK Rally in Hillsborough
Orange County authorities said Monday that warrants have been taken out after a Ku Klux Klan demonstration in Hillsborough over the weekend. The Orange County Sheriff’s Office and Hillsborough Police Department issued a joint statement on Monday evening saying that “onlookers told law enforcement that some of the protesters were openly carrying firearms.” North Carolina […]
Community, Local Officials Condemn KKK Rally in Hillsborough
Members of the Ku Klux Klan gathered on the sidewalk in front of the Orange County Courthouse for a demonstration on Saturday, quickly drawing condemnation from community members and elected officials at the local, state and national level. Accounts from the scene showed community members outnumbering the Klan members and white supremacists on Saturday. The […]
Saturday Rally in Downtown Hillsborough Follows Those Waving Confederate Flag
Several individuals were holding large Confederate flags in downtown Hillsborough two Saturdays ago, drawing the attention of local business owners and residents in the area. Mayor Tom Stevens said this isn’t a rare occurrence, with small groups standing on downtown street corners waving Confederate flags “from time to time.” “It really does convey a message […]
Police: Man Arrested, Another Injured After Disturbance in Hillsborough Friday
The Hillsborough Police Department has arrested a Graham man in connection with a disturbance involving a fight and a firearm Friday evening in Hillsborough. Police say they responded to the 200 block of Cheshire Drive at about 5:30 p.m. Friday with assistance from the Orange County Sheriff’s Office. Upon arrival, officers say they located multiple […]
Road Closures For Repairs In Hillsborough And Carrboro Begin Monday, Mar. 23
Starting Monday, Mar. 23, sections of Hillsborough’s Governor Burke Road and Carrboro’s E. Popular Avenue and Roberson Street will be closed as crews conduct repairs. 
Hillsborough: Storm Updates, Remembering Ken Chavious, Upcoming Events
Hillsborough Mayor Mark Bell spoke with 97.9 The Hill's Andrew Stuckey on Tuesday, March 17, discussing town news and events. He gave updates on the town's preparation for the expected storms from the previous day. He also talked about the life and legacy of former town board member Ken Chavious who recently passed away. He previewed upcoming Spring events in the community, and more.
Orange County Sheriff: Suspect Captured in Stabbing Death of Hillsborough Woman
Orange County Sheriff’s Office says it has taken 53-year-old Matthew Jared Vukmer into custody. Vukmer is charged with first-degree murder in the stabbing death of 54-year-old Paula Floyd at Vukmer’s Hillsborough home Friday morning. The sheriff’s office says an investigator working with the U.S. Marshals Carolina Regional Fugitive Task Force and the Capital Area […]
Wild Vehicle Pursuit Leaves 2 Orange County Sheriff's Cars Damaged, 2 Charged for Drug Possession
A cross-county vehicle pursuit on Wednesday resulted in two Durham residents facing several felony changes, as well as a pair of damaged Orange County Sheriff's vehicles and Alamance County properties.
Hillsborough: Bridge Closure, Commissioners Meeting Preview
Hillsborough Mayor Mark Bell spoke with 97.9 The Hill's Andrew Stuckey on Tuesday, March 3, discussing town news and events. He talked about election day and his experience voting early with his family. He also discussed a bridge closure affecting overnight traffic in Hillsborough. He also gave a preview of the upcoming Hillsborough Town Board of Commissioners meeting next week, previewed some upcoming town events, and more.
›