As the ceremony was held, hundreds of people gathered in Washington, DC for a pro-firearm rally on Capitol Hill. Speakers urged the crowd to support lawmakers who oppose gun control. The right-wing Chicago radio host Erich Muller was among those to attend.

Erich Muller: “My message to the federal government is obey the laws. We have a right to have guns. I live in the city of Chicago. It is a bloodbath, and I don’t have a right to protect my family. The average response time, 911 call, is fifteen minutes. Fifteen minutes — I don’t have that kind of time. I need a gun to protect myself. It’s my right as an American.”

Another pro-gun rally was also held nearby in Virginia, where attendees openly carried guns on their hips and over their shoulders. It was the first armed rally in a national park since President Obama signed a law authorizing weapons in national parks last year.