Several hundred protesters gathered on Monday night in front of the headquarters of the National Rifle Association in Fairfax County, Virginia, to play out what by now has become a routine: Call for stronger gun laws. Repeat.

Activists chanted “Enough is enough! Not one more,” and held homemade signs. One read, “If only thoughts and prayers were bulletproof.” Another read, “NRA, take their tax exempt away.”

That message was for Capitol Hill, where the Republican-controlled Senate has declined to consider legislation passed by the majority-Democratic House that would strengthen background checks .

"How much more suffering & loss will it take before we better regulate the sale of arms in our country?"

"Until America, door to door, takes every handgun, this is what you’re gonna have. It’s pathetic. It really is pathetic. It’s sad. We’re living in the Dark Ages over there."

"It is said that a total ban on handguns, including .22s, would take away innocent pleasure from thousands of people. Is that more or less pleasure than watching your child grow up?"

"Well, I would love it if they could take all the guns away. Unfortunately, you can’t do that so you hope that good people in the world have them to protect the people who can’t protect themselves."

"Democrats want to confiscate all guns, which is a dumb idea because only the law-abiding citizens would turn in their guns and the bad guys would be the only ones left armed. The Republicans walk the NRA line and refuse even limited restrictions"

"Banning guns is like banning forks in an attempt to stop making people fat. Taking away guns, taking away drugs, the booze, it won't rid the world of criminality... I support people having a gun in public full stop, not just in your home."

"I’m an NRA member, as you know or probably don’t know... I want to know that there’s at least some way to prevent folks who are just getting out from mental institutions [from getting guns]."

"I have a very strict gun control policy: if there's a gun around, I want to be in control of it."

"Everyone has a right to bear arms. If you take guns away from legal gun owners, then the only people who have guns are the bad guys."

"When I was a kid it was a controlled atmosphere, we weren't shooting at humans - we were shooting at cans and bottles mostly. I will most certainly take my kids out for target practice."

"Brad and I are not against having a gun in the house, and we do have one. If anybody comes into my home and tries to hurt my kids, I’ve no problem shooting them."

Despite the actor being a gun-wielding fast-talker, he told Daily Mail: "There should be more control. It has just gotten out of hand, how easily you can get guns."

“Is it political to say I’m tired of coming to this building and the only thing that has changed is the body count?” Jennifer Wexton, the Democratic representative for Virginia, asked the crowd.

The protest included people who go to the site on the 14th day of each month in remembrance of the massacre at Sandy Hook Elementary on 14 December, 2012.

The NRA on Sunday tweeted a statement of sympathy for the families and victims of the shootings and appreciation for first responders.

“The NRA is committed to the safe and lawful use of firearms by those exercising their Second Amendment freedoms,” it said. “We will not participate in the politicizing of the these tragedies, but, as always, we will work in good faith to pursue real solutions that protect us all from people who commit these horrific acts.”