Gun owners march on Houston police station with shotguns and assault rifles

A group of gun owners and gun rights advocates celebrated Independence Day on Thursday by marching on the headquarters of the Houston Police Department while carrying an array of shotguns and assault rifles. According to the Washington Examiner, the group was organized via Facebook and numbered about 25 attendees.

“It’s Independence Day -- where it all started,” said shotgun toting protester Jenn Kroll, to the Houston Chronicle. “What better day to show our rights?”

"If you don't use your rights, they can take them away," Ed Aldredge of Sugar Land said. Aldridge brought along his 11-year-old son, Austin, who carried a .22-caliber rifle.

The crowd, composed of mostly middle aged and older white men, dubbed the protest the "Come and Take it Away Freedom Walk" and after an hour or so of marching and posing for photos with their guns, the group decamped to nearby Tony's Barbecue, a restaurant chosen by the group because it let them bring in their weapons.

Watch video of the rally, embedded below via YouTube user ILUVGUNS86: