About 2,000 rally at Oregon Capitol in support of gun rights

SALEM, Ore. (AP) – About 2,000 people rallied at Oregon’s Capitol to show their support of the Second Amendment and opposition to legislation they say would restrict gun rights.

The ” Defend the 2nd ” Amendment rally on Saturday was organized by Oregon-based weapons manufacturers Radian Weapons of Redmond and Noveske Rifleworks of Grants Pass in response to Senate Bill 501, which would add regulations over gun ownership, KGW reports.

” The only purpose of this event is to remind our legislators that they work for us, and any continued assault on our Second Amendment rights will not stand, ” organizers said in the Facebook event page.

The legislative proposals call for mandatory gun locks, defining assault rifles and limiting ammunition purchases. Oregonians could face limits in the size of magazines and how many rounds of ammunition they can purchase.

Lawmakers supporting the legislation say it’s needed to prevent gun violence, including suicides.

Three buses left Redmond Saturday morning to bring protesters to the rally. Many said they want the bill amended so it does not infringe upon their right to bear arms.

” It’s a totally ridiculous bill, ” protester David Clark said. ” It’s almost impossible to have a gun after they enforce that, and I don’t know how they are going to enforce it anyway. Many sheriffs in many counties are probably not going to enforce it. ”

There are more than two-dozen firearms-related bills before the Legislature this year, according to a list from the Oregon Firearms Federation.