Pro-Gun Rally In Illinois To Counter School Walkout

ROMEOVILLE, IL — As Romeoville students join countless others Wednesday, March 14, in nationwide anti-gun walkouts called March for our Lives, Romeoville will see a group of activists on the other side of the issue. Romeoville resident Savannah Denvir, along with right-wing group Overpasses for America, are holding a pro-gun rally outside of Romeoville High School Wednesday.

"Public education in America today is almost the opposite of education. It's indoctrination!" Denvir says on the Facebook event page.

Denvir said in an email to Patch that the event is "in no way shape or form against the Children." It is, however, according to Denvir, a counterprotest against the Women's Marches and the EMpower, an organization which supports at-risk youth in emerging market countries.

Denvir claims that the Women's March and EMpower are "using these children for a leftist agenda by making them believe it is a unity walk out."

There may be armed protestors at the pro-gun rally, according to Denvir, who doesn't know if people plan on arriving armed. She said it's their freedom to choose whether or not to carry a weapon.

"This is my prime example how they are brainwashing these kid's into thinking the Nation wide walk out is In unity and memory with the victims of the parkland Fl travesty. When in truth it is really to push their leftist agenda against our 2nd amendment, constitution and America," Denvir said in the Facebook event page.

Romeoville Deputy Police Chief Steve Lucchesi said police will be present at the school for both the student walkout and the 2nd Amendment rally. "We’re there to make sure everybody is safe," he said.

The counterprotest is supported by Overpasses for America, whose website is described as "extreme right, propaganda, fake news" by Media Bias Fact Check. A quick scroll down their Facebook page showed an article they shared, written on their website, arguing that cars are more environmentally friendly than bicycles.

Several headlines on the Overpasses for America website include hashtags #Trump, #DeportThemAll and #LockHerUp.

Denvir insisted in the email that it will be a peaceful protest. "We will in no way cause a rukus [sic]," the Facebook event page said. "Our intent is only to educate and have our own freedom of speech with citizen's [sic] on our side and our children who feel as we do."

Valley View School Community Unit School District 365-U Director of Community Relations Jim Blaney said the district does not object to any lawful, peaceful protest.

At the time of publishing, the Facebook event page says 13 people are attending the rally, which will run from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. at the back of the Romeoville High School.

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