Hundreds of gun rights supporters descended on the State Capitol Building in Tallahassee on Saturday, as part of a national rally aimed at pushing against efforts to pass stricter gun-control laws since the Parkland shooting.

“Make no mistake. Our gun rights are under attack. They’re under attack today,” said Mike McCalister, a retired Army Colonel.

Gun advocates warned that stripping citizens of their right to defend themselves is the first step toward complete governmental control.

Florida based pastor Dexter Sanders warned the crowd, “We’ve seen the evil histories of authoritarian governments in the past. It goes in and the first thing it does is it takes away our guns. Then the next thing it does is it takes away our speech. And the next thing you know, we’re living in oppression. Sounds like communism to me.”