It was a showdown at high noon outside the State House yesterday as gun rights advocates faced off with counterprotesters.

Army combat veteran Mark Sahady, 42, of Boston said he and other members of the Resist Marxism group want to make sure gun control bills before the Legislature are not arbitrary.

“We know that there was March for Our Lives, so we just want to show that there’s people in Massachusetts that are interested in defending the Second Amendment and we want people to know that we’re here,” Sahady said.

Resist Marxism member Michael Moura, 24, of Stoughton said there should be no restrictions to the right to carry a gun and was critical of the “red flag” bill, which would allow people to petition the court to bar someone from owning a gun if deemed extremely dangerous. A version of that bill is now headed to the Senate after being approved in the House.

“We think that it’s critical that we have to defend the Second Amendment, especially after what just happened in the House of Representatives,” Moura said.

Those on the other side of the debate questioned the motives of the rally and participated in chats of “Nazis go home” and “Alt-right you can’t hide, you support genocide.”

Newburyport resident Marianne Veset, 67, said she traveled to Boston for the protest to stand up against the “Trump regime.”

“I think they represent the fascist voice in America that is being allowed to thrive right now,” Veset said. “And I think we really need to stand up to say that doesn’t make sense, that we can’t allow for that.”

Showing Up for Racial Justice Boston member Elizabeth Rucker, 28, said the group behind the rally is trying to grow a hard-line movement “under the guise of the Second Amendment.”

“They are trying to bring in people who are not as hard-line as they are and build a movement, so every time they show up it is our duty to show up against white supremacy and tell them to get out of our city,” Rucker said.

State troopers and Boston police stood between both groups during the rally and protest. Boston police spokesman James Kenneally said there were three arrests for disorderly conduct.