Defenders of the personal right to own weapons are planning a rally for the Minnesota State Capitol on Saturday.
The local rally, part of a national protest by gun-rights supporters, is aimed at opposing new gun legislation in Minnesota, said the organizer, Michael Rieschl of Ramsey, in a statement.
The rally is planned for noon on the State Capitol steps.
In the wake of the school shootings last month in Connecticut, President Obama and Minnesota gun-control advocates have propose a raft of federal and state restrictions, including closing the loophole that allows some private gun sales to occur without background checks.
Rieschl's statement said the group plans to oppose "any and all new gun legislation."
He said in an interview that the peaceful rally is part of a national event called "Guns Across America" that was started by a Texas gun activist. He said several hundred people are expected to attend, and speakers will include gun-owners with personal stories of protecting their own safety.
