On Tuesday, a bloody school massacre occurred in the small town of Uvalde in Texas, where 19 children and an adult were murdered by an 18-year-old man.
The 18-year-old, who was shot to death by the police, had legally bought the weapons with which the massacre was carried out. Among other things, an AR-15, a kind of semi-automatic carbine that has been used in several previous mass shootings in the USA.
In Houston, which is just over 450 km from Uvalde, a large arms fair is held on Friday under the auspices of the National Rifle Association (NRA). It is the largest arms lobby organization in the United States with its five million members.
Great influence
It is a powerful organization, which through its calls has great influence mainly in conservative circles.
– The NRA has a fairly large political force. It means a lot which politicians the NRA urges the conservative voters to vote for, says SVT’s US correspondent Stefan Åsberg.
During the meeting in Houston, the Republican former president Donald Trump speaks.
– The fact that there is evil is not reason enough to disarm law-abiding citizens. That is the main reason for arming law-abiding citizens, he says.
He thinks that instead of introducing stricter gun laws, the US needs to invest in measures against mental illness and strengthened security at schools.
Demonstrates outside
The timing and location of the fair have, in light of what happened in the state just a few weeks ago, provoked strong reactions. Hundreds of protesters have gathered outside the exhibition hall. Among other things, they have demanded that the fair be canceled.
For the NRA, however, it has not been an alternative, says Stefan Åsberg.
– If you were to withdraw the fair, it would be a recognition that the weapons are the big problem, he says.
No comprehensive reform of the country’s weapons laws is to be expected. Many Democrats advocate tougher regulation, while Republicans oppose stricter gun laws.
– The only people who point out that perhaps can agree on are stricter background checks on those who will buy weapons in the US in the future, says Stefan Åsberg.