Coming from W.Tn any advice re: parking accommodations and such? Would appreciate any advice. Thanks!

Given the likelihood of a big crowd, probably best to forget about parking in DC.
Might consider looking for hotels/parking anywhere along the Metro orange line route and take Metro into town.  

Not to be a dumbass here but any carry in DC is verboten. Apparently, a couple from OK open carried on their way out from the last rally and got jammed up with the law.
Saw lots of people with canes and big walking sticks last time. Might be a good idea this time. Expect to be in a group and stay alert on the way back to Metro after the rally--especially anywhere around Lafayette park. Twilight Zone territory.

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Thanks, for the info. Is having a weapon in vehicle allowed? Got reservations at the Hyatt Place on K St.

Not at all!  Last I heard, you couldn't even have a spent shell casing with you legally.

When I need to go to DC, I park at the Vienna Metro station off of Rt. 66 and ride in.

Good luck,
Bob S.

Our President needs us there so I’m going.

I didn't say don't go - all I said was bringing a gun in any way into DC was against the law.  The rest is your call.

A Merry Christmas to you and yours.

ARs are legal in VA and there are no mag restrictions.  Just don’t venture across the Potomac with them.

This is no joke and it is not here-say. Somebody who had a second home in Georgetown went to jail in the last few years over a spent shotgun hull somebody saw in his townhouse.
DC will absolutely ruin your life and celebrate it.
If you bring any guns, I am sure somebody here who is well known on Arfcom would be willing to secure it for you while you stay in town.

Same question. We need a rally point for arfcommers in VA. If anyone has a spare acre or two, for the odd car camper and such.

I’m meeting a couple of arfcomers in Arlington

I don't believe you can carry with a mag capacity of greater than 20rds without a conceal carry permit. However, I forget if that is just a few cities or if that is statewide.

Just certain cities.

You can carry as many 30rd mags as you want, you just can't  load them into the rifle.

  Above, either take the Dulles metro or the VRE train from Quantico

http://www.dullesmetro.com/

https://www.vre.org/service/stations/quantico/

After that your best bet is to rent a hotel room in Arlington and go in by metro.

 Have Uber/Lfyt on your phone as a back up. When you decide to leave, join a pack of people leaving. Local ANTIFA  The/They collective have spotters dressed in regular clothes and will try to pick off older or out of shape CHUDs for a beating or mobile struggle session using swarm and sucker punch tactics. They are straight up sociopaths, and usually have local project dwellers as auxiliaries. If your in a group they simply pick some on else.

  Sprays;  https://mpdc.dc.gov/page/mace-pepper-spray-self-defense-sprays-and-stun-guns

  This can go both ways so wear clear eye pro.

  No guns of any kind in D.C., no open carry or any gun like thing. You will get a SWAT SRT like response. Plenty of plain clothes cops in the crowds  and buildings calling in problems or suspicious people.

  Also keep in mind this is one of the most heavily surveilled places on earth, with the DoJ, the pentagon, hundreds of embassies, business and the USSS all sharing data.

  Factor in lots and lots of cell phone tracking to keep all of these places safe from non leftist terrorists.

  Cops here have occasionally let suspects use their phones to call home so they can collect on what info is on the phone.

  Bail is usually cheap and can be paid with a credit card.

 Knives, keep them inside your pocket of jacket and not clipped to the outside as the cops can claim they saw the knife clip on the outside of a pants pocket as an excuse to detain some one.

 Law Enforcement; In D.C. there are protests of some kind all year round, the cops are not on your side, even if your a back the blue type guy. There are simply too many protests. The local government is mostly incompetent but will bring the racisms/hate crimes card out in arrests and prosecutions if they get the chance.

 Law Enforcement around D.C. are always on the look out for terrorism, but some departments are more competent than others.

  Hotels in the area do cooperate with local and federal L.E. particularly the Secret Service and DEA. Arlington is a better bet than Alexandria. Metro is quick and efficient, but also maxxed out with cameras. I have not heard of any attacks by ANTIFA types once folks are inside METRO spces or in front of hotels, but plenty en route to them.

if you have any concerns of the area feel free to PM me, I work in DC and have worked (see cooperated) with DC, Metro, and park police in the past couple years. I asked alot of questions about whats cool and whats not.
some items i would not be comfortable talking about publicly, and some would need to be FTF.

...

See my replys in bold

ETA. I have spoke to numerous park police on guns and carry in DC. surprisingly most of the cops are Pro gun, they live in Virginia mostly, ive been told by a few that people carrying into dc get caught or "made" regularly and alot of the times if VERY compliant will simply be escorted via vehicle back across 395, rarely are they disarmed or have the weapons confiscated until they go back, NOW these are always handguns, if you were carrying an AR with plates and kit, likely that wouldn't happen that way.

Is parking around the Vienna Metro station in a safe area, will it be safe after dark?
Thanks for the info!

I have not been up there since early 2019, but it has always been safe when I used it. Like many Park & Ride lots, don't leave anything in sight that could cause someone to take an interest in your vehicle.

A Merry Christmas to all,
Bob S.

Thanks. I'll be coming up 81 from south of Roanoke.
It looks like the easiest/closest one to get to.

Does the Metro refuse service to those not wearing masks?

Don't know for certain, ....my guess is yes.
Take the path of least resistance......Just wear one for metro and pocket it when you're downtown.
If the last Trump rally was any indication, many of the people there won't be wearing them either.

Pretty safe area, even after dark.

Regarding carrying in DC, are DC concealed carry permits not valid?

Thanks!

You have a DC permit?

They are actually not hard to get, the problem is they are gun specific.  Serial numbers have to be submitted for what you are carrying

I do. It might be worth looking into if you visit often.

They let non-residents get them? Some VA folks just carry in DC anyway.  

Yep. My coworker that lives in MD got his earlier this year. Said it was surprisingly simple.

Last I looked, they wanted something like 3 years of tax returns with the application.
Is that the same or no longer the case?

Not required

Parking/staying farther out and riding the VRE is a pretty solid option. Cleaner than Metro and goes directly to L’Enfant Plaza.

Are there body armor restrictions?