‘This Time is Going to be Different’: Over 4,000 People Protest Outside NRA Convention

Over 4,000 people protested the NRA on Friday. They were staged across from the George R. Brown Convention Center where the NRA’s convention is taking place in Houston.

Over 4,000 People Protest Outside NRA Convention

The NRA, a Russian asset according to a Senate report, is having their convention in Houston just days after the gun culture resulting from their extremist lobbying allowed yet another mass shooting, this time at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas killing at least 19 kids and 2 teachers.

David Hogg, a founder and board member at March For Our Lives, observed, “Yeah this time is going to be different. This is in front of the NRA convention in Houston.”

To get more stories like this, subscribe to our newsletter The Daily.

There were 4,000 plus demonstrators, according to an officer from the Houston Police Department. Democratic candidate for governor Beto O’Rourke, Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee and Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo spoke.

NBC News’ Mike Hixenbaugh shared multiple videos:

Hixenbaugh reported that in spite of protesters “anguished shouts,” they did not dampen enthusiasm from the pro-gun lobby crowd.

He noted, “Alain Cisneros, a 44-year-old community organizer for an immigrant civil rights group, shouted into a bullhorn in Spanish: ‘Asesinos! Asesinos! Asesinos!’ Murderers! Murderers! Murderers!”

Independent investigative journalist Steven Monacelli tweeted tweeted that his application to cover the NRA was rejected and he was escorted out by police for asking why:

“It’s full. We are at capacity.”

I asked what capacity means.

“That’s proprietary.”

I asked the officer if anyone else has been escorted out.

He said no.

So he went outside to cover the protests, where he documented a North Texas based right wing “provocateur” trying to disrupt the event:

It was over 90 degrees in the sun but he says energy was high:

Monacelli is an independent journalist, his Patreon link is here.

A Tipping Point On Mass Shootings

Over 80% of Americans want some form of gun control, but almost the entire Republican Party has sold out to the Russian-infused NRA, which won’t tolerate any debate about safety measures, including basic ideas of background checks.

After every mass shooting, the nation hopes things will change. This one has unwittingly unmasked the failure of the NRA defense on almost every front, from “good guy with a gun” to “more guns make it more safe” as police stood outside and even in the hallways and refused to engage with the shooter even though they were armed and trained to do so.

It does feel as if things are reaching a tipping point. Just how much longer the American people will allow the non-elected NRA gun manufacturer lobby to dictate public policy is anyone’s guess, but innocent children being slaughtered under a misguided interpretation of the Second Amendment speaks urgently to everyone capable of empathy.

Let us hope that David Hogg is right. He is, sadly, an expert.

Sarah Jones

Listen to Sarah on the PoliticusUSA Pod on The Daily newsletter podcast here.

Sarah has been credentialed to cover President Barack Obama, then VP Joe Biden, 2016 Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton, and exclusively interviewed Speaker Nancy Pelosi multiple times and exclusively covered her first home appearance after the first impeachment of then President Donald Trump.

Sarah is two-time Telly award winning video producer and a member of the Society of Professional Journalists.

Connect with Sarah on Post,  Mastodon @PoliticusSarah@Journa.Host, & Twitter.