Credit: NPR

Richmond, state and capitol police are all preparing for a busy day Monday, as thousands are expected to descend on the state capitol.

Just outside the Capitol building, fencing has already been put in place around a specific area. There will be one point of entry. Anyone who enters this space will have to go through a metal detector, and per an emergency order from the governor, guns will not be allowed.

But step outside Capitol Square and anything goes because the city of Richmond isn’t allowed to ban guns. Several roads will be blocked from traffic and a heavy police presence is to be expected.

In addition to the gun rallies, Monday is expected to be business as usual for the legislature. Both the House and the Senate will be gaveling in and meeting.

Dueling gun control rallies in Virginia’s capitol Monday are garnering national attention, but there are plenty of other groups that normally lobby Monday and now have to rethink their plans. Mallory Noe-Payne has details.

The Coalition to Stop Gun Violence has announced they will be cancelling their planned rally on Monday. In a statement, the group’s state director Lori Haas says they refuses to engage with those who would harm them.