JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – The St. Louis couple accused of confronting protestors with their guns this summer took center stage at a Second Amendment rally at the state capitol Wednesday morning.

Patricia and Mark McCloskey spoke for about 10 minutes in the Capitol rotunda.

“Be free to live your life without being afraid of the government,” Mark McCloskey said. “Maybe we should make the government a little afraid of us because that’s where it’s supposed to be.”

The rally featured guest speakers like Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft, State Rep. Jered Taylor, and State Sen. Eric Burlison.