Groups protest gun violence while President Trump visits NRA convention

ATLANTA — A large group gathered to protest gun violence during President Donald Trump's visit to Atlanta to attend the National Rifle Association convention.

Trump is the first president in 34 years to attend the convention.

The protestors started at Woodruff Park, marched to the Georgia World Congress Center where the president was speaking and then ended up outside the president's fundraiser at the Captiol City Club.

Participants told Channel 2's Tyisha Fernandes they are not against guns, they are against gun violence.

They created signs with strong messages and told Fernandes that Trump will not be able to ignore them during his visit.

"We're out here sending a message to the NRA and President Trump that we're pushing back on the extreme gun policies that they're trying to implement in Georgian," said Gerald Griggs, with the Alliance for Social Justice.

Authorities placed a bus in the middle of the street to block the view of the president's motorcade.

"I really think they need to hear what people are saying, even gun owners who disagree with most of what the NRA stands for," said John Davis, with the Move On group.

Protestors believe the president has the ability to address their issues.

"As a president, he has a lot of sway and if he can take some of our feeling to the NRA, perhaps they might start to think differently," protestor Lorraine Bascomb said.

Cox Media Group