United States
Cleveland to Fight for Its Gun Restrictions In Front of Ohio Supreme Court
Cleveland Plain Dealer (Ohio)
10 March 2010
COLUMBUS, Ohio - If Cleveland had its way, every gun in the city would have to be registered, no one would carry a weapon openly and assault weapons would be banned. All three of those rules, however -- and there are others the city would like to impose -- run contrary to an Ohio gun law that took effect three years ago establishing one set of firearm rules for everyone from Lake Erie down to the Ohio River. The city has... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
Bulletproof Body Armour Ban Fails, Moves to California Supreme Court
San Francisco Chronicle
10 March 2010
SAN FRANCISCO - The California Supreme Court said Wednesday it will hear a prosecution appeal of a ruling throwing out a state law that bans anyone who has been convicted of a violent felony from owning body armor. The unanimous order was a victory for Attorney General Jerry Brown, who had asked the court to take up the case, and for San Francisco Police Chief George Gascón, who had urged Brown to appeal. The law, passed... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
Baltimore Prosecutor Wants Long Guns to Earn No-parole Jail Sentence
Associated Press
10 March 2010
ANNAPOLIS -- Baltimore's top prosecutor is heading to Annapolis to push state lawmakers to pass stronger gun laws. Baltimore State's Attorney Patricia Jessamy says she plans to appear Thursday at a Senate hearing to recommend expanding a no-parole law that has helped cut violent crime. Under the 2000 law, convicted felons charged with gun possession face a mandatory no-parole penalty of five years in prison. The state's... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
Tiny Ohio Town Faces Lawsuit for Excluding Gun Shop, Banning Guns
Vindicator (Ohio)
9 March 2010
CAMPBELL, California - Council is reconsidering a citywide gun-sales ban after a lawsuit threat. Law director Mark Kolmacic told city council at its caucus meeting last week that a group called Ohioans for Concealed Carry has threatened a lawsuit over the ban, which stemmed from an effort by a Hubbard man to open a gun-repair shop on property he owns at 120 Robinson Road. Kolmacic would not elaborate after the meeting,... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
Fired Ohio University Janitor Kills Co-worker, Then Self, Police Say
New York Times
9 March 2010
An Ohio State University custodian who had been told he was being fired killed a co-worker and wounded another before killing himself early Tuesday morning at a university maintenance building, officials said. No students were involved in the 3:30 a.m. shooting, and classes were held as scheduled on Tuesday. The gunman was identified as Nathaniel Brown, 51. The university released documents indicating that Mr.... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
Supreme Court Gun Control Case Could Have Broad Impact - George Will
Washington Post, Column
8 March 2010
WASHINGTON -- It is said, more frequently than precisely, that the reasons the Supreme Court gives for doing whatever it does are as important as what it does. Actually, the court's reasons are what it does. Hence, the interest in the case the Supreme Court considered last week. It probably will result in a routine ruling that extends a 2008 decision and renders dubious many state and local gun control laws. What could -- but, judging... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
Pro-gun Lobby Stirs It Up At Starbucks, Obama Fails to Deliver Gun Control
Sunday Times (UK)
8 March 2010
WASHINGTON - It is not exactly Gunfight at the OK Corral -- more like Lattes at High Noon -- but the Starbucks coffee chain has become an unlikely battleground for US gun owners campaigning to carry their weapons openly in public. Last Thursday morning, Jim Snyder walked into a Starbucks cafe in Virginia and ordered a tall hot chocolate without cream. On his left hip was his mobile phone. On his right hip was a semi-automatic Browning... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
Chicago Mayor Recycles Gun Control Slate, Adds Pistol Microstamping
Chicago Sun-Times
8 March 2010
Mayor Daley today unveiled his annual package of gun control legislation and denied he's "swimming upstream" at a time when the U.S. Supreme Court has signaled its intention to overturn Chicago's handgun ban. Most of the ideas are re-treads, but there are a few new wrinkles. They include a proposal to make it a mandatory Class 1 felony to "knowingly sell or transfer a gun to a known gang member." Daley also wants to strengthen... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
Chicago Mayor Makes Annual Call for Gun Control, Microstamping Pistols
Chicago Tribune
8 March 2010
Flanked by several parents who had lost children to gun violence, Mayor Richard Daley on Monday called for new laws to restrict gun sales and stiffen penalties for criminals who use them. Although Daley announces new gun-control initiatives every year, this year's announcement took on added significance because the U.S. Supreme Court is weighing whether to overturn the city's handgun ban. "The aggressiveness of the gun... ( gunpolicy.org )
Philippines
160 Civil Servants Among 1300 Violators of Philippine Election Gun Ban
ABS-CBN News (Manila)
8 March 2010
MANILA - The Philippine National Police on Monday said a total of 160 government employees have violated a nationwide gun ban since it was implemented last January 10. A PNP report said law enforcers have arrested a total of 1,294 gun ban violators including 1,134 civilians and 160 government employees. Seized during the period were 1,117 firearms, 798 airguns/replicas, 304 bladed weapons and 218 grenades or explosives.... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
Supreme Court Weighs, Could Weaken US State, Local Gun Control Laws
San Francisco Chronicle
7 March 2010
WASHINGTON - Gun-control advocates think, if not pray, they can win by losing when the Supreme Court decides whether the constitutional right to possess guns serves as a check on state and local regulation of firearms. The justices will be deciding whether the Second Amendment - like much of the rest of the Bill of Rights - applies to states as well as the federal government. It's widely believed they will say it does. But... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
Student Buys Gun Show Pistol, Ignores Campus Gun Ban, Shoots His Leg
WDAY-6 TV News (North Dakota)
7 March 2010
GRAND FORKS, North Dakota - A Saturday night turned dangerous for a UND student after he accidentally shot himself in the leg. Law enforcement and weapon experts say this brings to light a very important issue: gun safety. Yesterday, authorities responded to a 9-1-1 call that a U-N-D student had shot themselves on U-N-D property. The student had purchased the gun earlier that day form the Grand Forks gun show which is a lengthy... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
America's Love Affair With Firearms Won't Be Quelled By Mere Statistics
Irish Times
6 March 2010
AMERICA -- Cities and states that restrict gun ownership are seeing that prerogative threatened by the Supreme Court "We Americans, we cling proudly to our guns and religion," Sarah Palin, the failed vice-presidential candidate and darling of the Tea Party movement, said at a recent rally for Rick Perry, the Republican governor of Texas. The historian Richard Hofstadter coined the phrase "gun culture" to describe America's... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
Virginia Kills Attempt to Reverse One-handgun-a-month Limit on Sales
Washington Post
5 March 2010
A Virginia Senate panel designed to eliminate House gun rights proposals went about its work efficiently Thursday, killing an attempted repeal of the state's 17-year-old ban on buying more than one handgun a month and several other bills. The Senate Courts of Justice special subcommittee, which was composed of four Democrats and one Republican, voted 4 to 1 along party lines to table the gun-a-month repeal sponsored by Del. L. Scott... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
US Gun Case Courts Disaster: Inevitable Increase in Illegal Gun Trafficking
Philadelphia Inquirer, Editorial
4 March 2010
A gun-rights decision by the Supreme Court two years ago threatened to make it more dangerous to walk the streets of Washington. Now the top court's conservative voting bloc seems intent upon expanding the risk to other U.S. cities by dismantling strong gun-violence safeguards. Chicago's long-standing handgun ban came into the crosshairs of the National Rifle Association this week, as the group sought to extend the reach... ( gunpolicy.org )
Finland
Commission Proposes Ban on Semi-automatic Handguns in Finland
Macleans (Canada)
4 March 2010
On Sept. 23, 2008, a culinary student named Matti Juhani Saari walked into a vocational college in Kauhajoki, Finland, drew a semi-automatic pistol, and killed 10 people before taking his own life. Less than a year earlier, an 18-year-old fatally shot eight people at a high school in Tuusula, 50 km north of Helsinki, before killing himself. In the wake of Saari's rampage, Finnish Prime Minister Matti Vanhanen promised a grieving nation that... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
Chicago's Pointless Handgun Ban: Crime Weakens Case for Gun Control
Chicago Tribune, Column
4 March 2010
When Chicago passed a ban on handgun ownership in 1982, it was part of a trend. Washington, D.C., had done it in 1976, and a few Chicago suburbs took up the cause in the following years. They all expected to reduce the number of guns and thus curtail bloodshed. District of Columbia Attorney General Linda Singer told The Washington Post in 2007, "It's a pretty common-sense idea that the more guns there are around, the more gun violence... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
Gun Lobby Overreacts, Objects to Pennsylvania 'No Shotguns at Work' Rule
Erie Times-News (Pennsylvania), Editorial
3 March 2010
In Albion, an issue that should have been confined to the local level has escalated into a skirmish involving the National Rifle Association. Gun owners are quick to act when they fear their Second Amendment rights are at risk, but in the Albion example, protesters are misfiring. As Tim Hahn reported on Feb. 6, Jeff Paul, 57, was cited by Albion police in November for disorderly conduct. Police say that Paul, chief operator... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
Gun Laws: US Supreme Court Should Toss Out Chicago Handgun Ban
El Paso Times, Editorial
3 March 2010
In 2008, the U.S. Supreme Court struck down a strict handgun ban in the District of Columbia. Now the court is considering a strict gun ban in Chicago. But there's a big difference between the two cases. The D.C. case covered only federal jurisdictions. According to a McClatchy Newspapers story, "District of Columbia v. Heller applied only to federal jurisdictions, because the Bill of Rights, as originally written, covers federal... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
US Supreme Court Considers National Expansion of Right to Bear Arms
Reuters
2 March 2010
The Supreme Court on Tuesday appeared likely to extend the federal right to own guns to state and local governments, but some justices said firearms still could face regulations and restrictions. In a legal challenge to Chicago's 28-year-old handgun ban, the high court seemed deeply divided along conservative and liberal lines in considering how broadly to extend its landmark 2008 ruling that individual Americans have a federal... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
Supreme Court Seems Ready to Up-end Gun Control in US Cities, States
Christian Science Monitor
2 March 2010
WASHINGTON - The US Supreme Court appears to be on verge of extending the constitutional protection of the Second Amendment's right to keep and bear arms to every jurisdiction in the nation. During an hour-long oral argument at the high court on Tuesday, several justices exhibited a willingness to enforce their landmark 2008 gun-rights decision at the state and local level. If they do so, the decision may doom not only... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
Supreme Court Refuses to Release Same-day Audio of US Gun Ban Case
Associated Press
2 March 2010
WASHINGTON - The Supreme Court is declining to release the audio of Tuesday's high-profile argument over gun rights upon its conclusion. Spokeswoman Kathy Arberg said the court turned down a request by broadcasters, often made in closely watched cases, to provide the same-day audio recordings of the argument. With television cameras and reporters' tape recorders barred from the court, the availability of audio provides the public... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
Supreme Court Poised to Rule on Chicago's Longstanding Handgun Ban
ABC News (USA)
2 March 2010
Otis McDonald, 76, is afraid for his life in his crime-saturated Chicago neighborhood and he is asking the U.S. Supreme Court to overturn his city's strict ban on handguns in the home. "In my home, this is the only time I worry," McDonald said. "There's more guns coming into this city than the police can take away from them. So if I've got a gun, and if others have guns in their homes to protect themselves, then that's one thing... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
Supreme Court Likely to Strike Down Some US Gun Laws, But How Many?
Talk Radio News (USA)
2 March 2010
Even liberal Justices seemed to agree in today's Supreme Court oral arguments that the Second Amendment must prevent cities and states from passing certain gun regulations. The Supreme Court in 2008 ruled that the Second Amendment protects an individual's right to bear firearms, but that ruling applied to only the federal government, and today's case, McDonald v. Chicago, raised the question of whether states as well are prevented from restricting... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
Starbucks: Allowing American Customers to Wear Guns Is Just Business
Associated Press
2 March 2010
SEATTLE -- Coffee chain Starbucks said Wednesday it's sticking to its policy of letting customers carry guns where it's legal and is asking not to be put in the middle of a larger gun-control debate. The company's statement, issued Wednesday, stems from recent campaign by some gun owners, who have walked into Starbucks and other businesses to test state laws that allow gun owners to carry weapons openly in public places. Now,... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
Learning from DC Handgun Ban: Less Gun Control Leads to Less Crime
Washington Times, Editorial
2 March 2010
The year after the Supreme Court struck down the District of Columbia's handgun ban and gun-lock requirements, the capital city's murder rate plummeted 25 percent. The high court should keep that in mind today as it hears oral arguments about a Chicago handgun ban. Gun controllers screamed to high heaven that impending disaster would follow the court's decision to junk some of the district's gun controls. One of those screaming... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
High Court Justices Suggest They May Overturn More US Gun Control Laws
Associated Press
2 March 2010
WASHINGTON - The Supreme Court suggested Tuesday it will strike down U.S. cities' outright bans on handguns, a ruling that could establish a nationwide ownership right fervently sought by gun advocates. But the justices indicated less severe limits could survive, continuing disputes over the "right to keep and bear arms." Chicago area residents who want handguns for protection in their homes are asking the court to extend its 2008... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
Government Has No Right to Deny Divine Right of US Gun Ownership
Augusta Chronicle (Georgia), Editorial
2 March 2010
In the comedy Roxanne , Steve Martin is a fire chief of an incompetent department that's as likely to start a fire as put one out. "I have a dream," he tells the men after dousing one of their own little fires. "It's not a big dream, it's just a little dream. My dream -- and I hope you don't find this too crazy -- is that I would like the people of this community to feel that if, God forbid, there were a fire, calling the fire department... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
Black Chicago Supreme Court Plaintiff 'Pawn of Wealthy White Gun Nuts'?
Chicago Sun-Times
2 March 2010
Otis McDonald doesn't care what you think. You can accuse the black inner-city grandfather of betraying Chicago neighborhoods overrun by thugs with guns. Go ahead, call him a pawn of wealthy, white gun-nuts suing to lift the city's handgun ban. But the 76-year-old Morgan Park man who has become the face of one of the most important Second Amendment lawsuits in history wants you to know this: He is not a "showpiece"... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
At Least 5 US Supreme Court Justices Poised to Relax US Gun Controls
New York Times
2 March 2010
WASHINGTON -- At least five justices appeared poised to expand the scope of the Second Amendment's protection of the right to bear arms on Tuesday, judging from comments at an unusually intense Supreme Court argument. By its conclusion, it seemed plain that the court would extend a 2008 decision that first identified an individual right to own guns to strike down Chicago's gun control law, widely considered the most restrictive... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
Another Landmark Constitutional Duel Over Right to Bear Guns in America
Wall Street Journal
2 March 2010
The Supreme Court today is the scene of a Constitutional duel in a case that will decide if the Second Amendment's guarantee of an individual right to bear arms applies to the states. The answer will determine whether the Court's landmark 2008 decision in District of Columbia v. Heller is a hollow legal anomaly, or if it extends nationwide. In McDonald v. Chicago, the Justices will consider whether the Windy City's ban on handguns... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
All US Gun Laws Could Be in Jeopardy, Depending on High Court Case
National Public Radio (USA), Transcript
2 March 2010
The U.S. Supreme Court steps back onto the firing range, so to speak, as it takes up the controversial question of gun rights Tuesday. At issue is whether the Second Amendment right to bear arms puts constitutional limits on state and local laws as well as federal laws. For the first 100 years of America's history, the Bill of Rights -- protecting rights of free speech and religion, among others -- limited only what the federal... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
Virginia Bows to Gun Lobby, Moves to Scrap One-gun-a-month Sales Limit
Washington Post, Editorial
1 March 2010
When then-U.S. Attorney Richard Cullen, a Republican, gave vigorous support in 1993 to Virginia limiting the purchase of handguns to one a month, some people questioned the propriety of a federal prosecutor getting involved in a state legislative matter. But Mr. Cullen believed that it was his duty to speak out because the gun running made possible by Virginia's lax laws was a national problem. That is just as true today -- and it's why... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
US Second Amendment Has Become a Frivolous Challenge to Gun Law
San Francisco Chronicle, Opinion
1 March 2010
In 2006, Harvey Jackson pleaded guilty to illegal drug distribution and firearm possession after he was caught selling cocaine out of his home. Two years later, when the U.S. Supreme Court held that the Second Amendment protects a right to possess a firearm in the home for self-defense, however, Jackson challenged his conviction, arguing that the amendment guaranteed his right to keep a gun to protect himself while conducting his home drug... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
Right of Americans to Protect Themselves Against Other People's Guns
New York Times, Editorial
1 March 2010
Two years ago, the Supreme Court struck down parts of the District of Columbia's gun-control law. On Tuesday, the court will consider whether that decision should apply everywhere in the country, not just in the federal territory of the nation's capital. We disagreed strongly with the 2008 decision, which took an expansive and aggressive view of the right to bear arms. But there is an even broader issue at stake in the new case:... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
Handpicked Gun Owners the 'Face' of Drive to Lobby US Supreme Court
Associated Press
1 March 2010
CHICAGO -- A couple worries that burglars who tried to break in when the wife was home alone will return. A retiree fears the drug dealers and junkies just outside his window will attempt -- again -- to steal what he spent a lifetime earning. And a businessman wants to protect himself as he could when he was a police officer. Together, they are the face of the most serious challenge yet to Chicago's 28-year-old handgun ban. ... ( gunpolicy.org )
Philippines
Chieftains Fear for Lives, Seek Philippine Election Gun Ban Exemption
Manila Bulletin
1 March 2010
DAVAO CITY, Philippines -- About 19 village chieftains from the three districts of the city urged the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to exempt them from the gun ban so that they can defend themselves against any possible harm by individuals behind the threat text messages they received from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. last Friday. Joji Lumanog, village chieftain of Barangay Cabantian, Buhangin, said all recipients of the threat text messages... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
Chicago Handgun Ban Presents Quandary for US Supreme Court Justices
Washington Post
1 March 2010
As a member of the Junior ROTC, teenager Antonin Scalia toted his rifle on the subway ride back and forth to Queens. As a hunter, he speaks lyrically of stalking wild turkeys. And as a justice, he may have reached the pinnacle of his more than two decades on the Supreme Court when he wrote the majority opinion that said the Second Amendment protects an individual's right to own a firearm. But when the justices on Tuesday confront... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
Campaign Grows as More US Gun Owners Flaunt Handguns in Starbucks
Associated Press
28 February 2010
Dale Welch recently walked into a Starbucks in Virginia, handgun strapped to his waist, and ordered a banana Frappuccino with a cinnamon bun. He says the firearm drew a double-take from at least one customer, but not a peep from the baristas. Welch's foray into the coffeehouse was part of an effort by some gun owners to exercise and advertise their rights in states that allow people to openly carry firearms. Even in some... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
US Supreme Court Tipped to Loosen Reins on City, State Gun Control
Associated Press
27 February 2010
WASHINGTON - Gun control advocates are hoping they can win by losing when the Supreme Court rules on state and local regulation of firearms. The justices will be deciding whether the right to possess guns guaranteed by the Second Amendment -- like much of the rest of the Bill of Rights -- applies to states as well as the federal government. It's widely believed they will say it does. But even if the court strikes down handgun... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
Ohio Gun Owners Push Obama Fear Factor, Hidden Handgun Permits Soar
Cleveland Plain Dealer (Ohio)
27 February 2010
COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Ohio issued a record 56,691 concealed handgun licenses in 2009, shattering the previous one-year high of 45,497 set in 2004, according to the state attorney general's office. That means Ohio is now approaching 200,000 concealed permits issued since 2004, when the state started handing out licenses to qualified people. And those for and against tougher gun control laws agree the smoking gun for the 2009... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
Alabama Senate Approves Guns in Cars at the Workplace
WKSR Radio (Alabama)
27 February 2010
The Alabama State Senate has passed legislation that would make it easier for people to keep guns in their vehicles. This comes just two weeks after the fatal shootings at the University of Alabama in Huntsville. Democratic Sen. Roger Bedford of Russellville got the Senate to vote 26-2 for his bill Thursday, which would ban policies that prohibit licensed guns from being locked away in private vehicles in company parking lots. ... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
Supreme Court Decision Could Further Weaken Gun Laws Across America
USA Today
26 February 2010
WASHINGTON -- In 2008, when national gun rights advocates were looking for residents to challenge Chicago's ban on handguns, Otis McDonald was in effect looking for them. McDonald, 76, says he had seen his neighborhood on the far South Side of Chicago turn from bad to worse over the years with "gangbangers and drug dealers." "My wife and I are here alone all the time now," says McDonald, a retired maintenance engineer, who with... ( gunpolicy.org )
Philippines,United States
Montana Shooting Promoter Touts Illegal Trophy Hunting in Philippines
AllHeadLineNews (USA)
26 February 2010
MANILA, Philippines - A U.S.-based group offering trophy hunting in the Philippines has caught the attention of Filipino officials. Hunting wildlife is illegal in the Philippines under the Wildlife Resources Conservation and Protection Act. In an advisory issued on Friday, the Protected Areas and Wildlife Bureau reminded foreign nationals not to transact with groups offering trophy hunting in the Philippines. "Any person who will... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
Fearing Imagined Obama Agenda, US States Push to Loosen Gun Laws
New York Times
24 February 2010
When President Obama took office, gun rights advocates sounded the alarm, warning that he intended to strip them of their arms and ammunition. And yet the opposite is happening. Mr. Obama has been largely silent on the issue while states are engaged in a new and largely successful push for expanded gun rights, even passing measures that have been rejected in the past. In Virginia, the General Assembly approved a bill last... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
Colorado Sheriff Says He'll Undermine University's Hidden Handgun Ban
Colorado Springs Gazette, Editorial
23 February 2010
The Colorado State University Board of Governors voted unanimously Tuesday to place students at both of its campuses in harm's way with a sweeping weapons ban law-abiding citizens will obey and criminals will ignore. Larimer County Sheriff James Alderden, outraged by the ban, told The Gazette's opinion department he will undermine it in the interest of student safety. CSU-Fort Collins Police Chief Wendy Rich-Goldsmith,... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
Colorado University Embroiled in Debate Over Hidden Handguns in Class
National Public Radio (USA), Transcript
22 February 2010
Across the U.S., most public universities ban students and faculty from carrying concealed handguns on campus. Colorado State University has, up until now, been one of the few exceptions to this rule. But now, campus leadership wants to change the policy, and that's not sitting well with students and local gun rights advocates. The university's board of directors voted to pass a ban on carrying concealed weapons last year. At a... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
Libertarians Sue Washington DC for Right to Carry Hidden Handguns
Washington Post
21 February 2010
He was at the heart of the landmark Supreme Court case that took down the District's handgun ban. But before arriving at the range, he warns in a text message: "You will find I'm not the best shot." Once he fires a few rounds, however, it's clear that Tom G. Palmer is no novice, either. He lands a couple right in the torso of his human-shaped target. Then he aims at the target's head, misses once by a few inches, then hits twice.... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
US Major League Baseball Reminds Players of Total Clubhouse Gun Ban
Associated Press
20 February 2010
Major League Baseball has a message for players and employees this spring training: Keep guns, long knives and explosives out of the clubhouse. Signs have been placed in spring training clubhouses stating "individuals are prohibited from possessing deadly weapons while performing any services for MLB." The rules apply to employees of the commissioner's office, other central baseball businesses and to teams, including players. ... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
Some US Coffee Chains Ban Gun-toting Customers, Starbucks Trembles
New York Times, Editorial
19 February 2010
It looked like a casting call for a Sam Pekinpah shoot-'em-up: 100 or so gun enthusiasts showed up at the Buckhorn Grill in Walnut Creek, Calif., this month with revolvers strapped on their hips. "We're not politically involved," the restaurant manager declared as he agreed to serve the supporters of Open Carry, a group that goes around flaunting gun owners' right -- under a benighted California law -- to pack weapons in public. Four... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
New Law Pushed by US Gun Lobby Allows Loaded Guns In National Parks
Associated Press
19 February 2010
WASHINGTON - Loaded guns will be allowed in Yellowstone, the Grand Canyon and other national parks under a new law that takes effect Monday. The law lets licensed gun owners bring firearms into national parks and wildlife refuges as long as they are allowed by state law. It comes over the objections of gun-control advocates who fear it will lead to increased violence in national parks. The national parks law takes effect... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
Gun Control Defeat Inevitable in US Supreme Court Handgun Ban Case?
Bloomberg (USA)
19 February 2010
For gun-control advocates, defeat may be inevitable in the Chicago handgun-ban case before the U.S. Supreme Court. The question is whether they will get a consolation prize. The central issue in the case, set for argument March 2, is whether the Constitution's Second Amendment applies to state and local gun laws, in addition to those enacted by the federal government and District of Columbia. When the court in 2008 struck down D.C.'s... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
Getting Rid of Gun Control: One-gun-a-month Limit Hurts the Law-abiding
Washington Times, Editorial
19 February 2010
Virginia finally is poised to repeal its unusual law that prohibits law-abiding citizens from buying more than one gun per month. It's about time, because the red tape has not had the desired effect in lowering crime. There is no academic research by criminologists or economists that shows that one-gun-a-month regulations reduce crime in either the states that pass them or their neighbors. The laws have merely inconvenienced honest Americans... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
Chicago's Supreme Court Gun Case: Will Justice Antonin Scalia Flip-Flop?
Wall Street Journal / Law Blog, Blog
19 February 2010
"Of course, properly understood, it is no limitation upon arms control by the states." -- Justice Antonin Scalia, writing in 1997 about the Second Amendment. Since we declared our affection for McDonald v. Chicago, the big gun rights case that will be heard next month by the Supreme Court, the pre-gaming analysis has continued unabated. Today LB colleague Jess Bravin weighs in with his own take on the alliances and buzz... ( gunpolicy.org )
Finland
National Handgun Ban Mooted After String of Shootings in Finland
Associated Press
17 February 2010
HELSINKI, Finland - A Finnish government commission on Wednesday proposed a ban on semiautomatic handguns after two school shootings in recent years left 20 people dead. The ban, which needs parliamentary approval, would sharply reduce the number of legal weapons in a country that ranks among the world's top five in civilian gun ownership. "We've had a very weapon-friendly culture," commission chairman Pekka Sauri said.... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
Another California City Council Tightens its Local Gun Restrictions
North County Times (California)
17 February 2010
MENIFEE, California - Council members have tightened Menifee's gun restrictions, saying the new ordinance protects areas that need it but still allows firearms to be discharged in the city. In a 4-0 vote Tuesday, with Mayor Wallace Edgerton absent, the council agreed to prohibit shooting a firearm or BB gun within 150 yards of a school, church or park, and within 300 yards of roads or livestock. The change was prompted... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
Virginia Passes 20 New Bills to Relax Gun Laws, Promote Pistol Carrying
Associated Press
16 February 2010
RICHMOND, Virginia -- A flurry of bills to make it easier to buy and carry guns handily won the approval of lawmakers Tuesday. About 20 gun-related bills passed on the constitutional deadline for each chamber to pass its own legislative proposals. Most of the bills passed out of the gun-friendly House of Delegates, where they may face more scrutiny in the Democrat-controlled Senate. Bills approved Tuesday would repeal Virginia's... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
Virginia Lawmakers Aim to Loosen Firearm Restrictions Even Further
Washington Post
16 February 2010
RICHMOND, Virginia - A little more than a year ago, Virginia gun owners joined millions of Americans who began stockpiling weapons for fear that Barack Obama would win the White House and push for new gun controls. Now that the former Illinois senator is president, the prophesied gun control measures have not come to pass, and Virginia's gun advocates are feeling almost giddy about their chances to loosen restrictions on buying... ( gunpolicy.org )
Philippines
868 Firearm Law Violators Charged So Far in Philippine Election Gun Ban
Asia Pulse / APU NewsWire (Philippines)
16 February 2010
Government authorities apprehended 28 new violators of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) imposed nationwide total gun ban on Monday. Reports from the National Election Monitoring and Action Center (NEMAC) showed that among the 28 latest gun ban violators were 25 civilians, one member of the Philippine National Police (PNP), a personnel of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and one government employee. The arrested... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
US Senator Aims to Jail NY Mayor's Men Who Uncover Illegal Gun Sales
New York Daily News
15 February 2010
West Virginia has a message for Mayor Bloomberg: Don't come 'round here to buy our guns. A legislator there wants to ban the type of undercover stings that Bloomberg has used to showcase illegal gun sales in other states - and throw the mayor's investigators in jail if necessary. "It's for us to handle within our own borders," said state Sen. Jeffrey Kessler, who is running for governor in 2012. "We jealously guard our... ( gunpolicy.org )
Namibia
Domestic Abuse Shootings Bring Namibia Closer to Tough Gun Control
Namibian (Windhoek)
15 February 2010
The issuing of firearm licences should be stricter, as there have been several reports of women being shot by their boyfriends or husbands, Deputy Prime Minister Dr Libertina Amathila said in Parliament on Thursday. Speaking on the debate on the draft defence policy tabled by Defence Minister Charles Namoloh, Amathila said: "Weapons [licences] are issued easily to the public, are people able to handle guns? Women are shot by their... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
Park Rangers, Public Brace for Gun Ban Reversal in US National Parks
Tulsa World (Oklahoma)
14 February 2010
WASHINGTON -- Officials at Oklahoma's national parks and refuges are preparing for controversial new measures, sponsored by U.S. Sen. Tom Coburn, that let visitors carry loaded guns. Approved last year as an amendment to a major credit-card reform bill, the provisions by the Oklahoma Republican take effect Feb. 22. Previous regulations dating back to the Reagan administration allowed park visitors to carry firearms as long... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
Is Barack Obama Really Anti-gun? No, He's Anti-gun Control
Chicago Tribune, Opinion
14 February 2010
Among the many groups that opposed Barack Obama's presidential race, few were more certain or vehement than gun-rights organizations. "Barack Obama would be the most anti-gun president in American history," the National Rifle Association announced. "Obama is a committed anti-gunner," warned Gun Owners of America. So it's no stunner that after a year in office, the president is getting hammered by people who have no use for his policy... ( gunpolicy.org )
Philippines
Another Philippine Police Officer Charged with Election Gun Ban Breach
Visayan Daily Star (Philippines)
14 February 2010
Another Negrense policeman was arrested for violation of the Commission on Election gun ban in Isabela, Negros Occidental, on Feb. 14, the third in Western Visayas nabbed for the offense, police records show. Chief Inspector Romeo Leyte, Isabela police chief, said the policeman identified as PO1 Generoso Ellera is now being restricted at the town police station. Ellera who was believed to be under the influence of liquor... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
California Restaurant Chain Rejects Gun Lobby Pressure, Bans Guns
Associated Press
13 February 2010
WALNUT CREEK, California - A California restaurant chain is banning the display of guns after about 100 men carrying unloaded weapons gathered at its Walnut Creek location east of San Francisco. Buckhorn Grill had agreed to host the meeting of Open Carry advocates earlier this month. The group wants to change California law to make it easier to carry loaded guns in public. John Pickerel, owner of the seven-restaurant chain,... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
Judge's Ruling Ends Seattle's Short-lived Ban on Guns in City Parks
Seattle Times
12 February 2010
The rule banning firearms in Seattle parks was tossed out Friday by King County Superior Court Judge Catherine Shaffer, who said the city cannot pre-empt state law. The city now has 30 days to remove the 116 metal signs, which are about 1 by 1-½ feet in size and show a handgun inside a red circle, with a red line crossing out the gun. In all-capital letters there is the warning: "FIREARMS PROHIBITED." Assistant City Attorney... ( gunpolicy.org )
Thailand,North Korea
Thailand Drops Charges Against Crew of Plane Carrying N. Korean Arms
SEESAC (Belgrade) / Choson Ilbo (Seoul), Web page
11 February 2010
Thai prosecutors have dropped charges against the crew of a plane carrying North Korean weapons despite United Nations resolutions that bar Pyongyang from selling arms. The Attorney General's office in Thailand said Thursday [ 11 February] it will not prosecute the five-man crew, whose plane stopped in Bangkok with 35 tons of North Korean weapons on board. Thai authorities say the men - one from Belarus and four from Kazakhstan... ( gunpolicy.org )
Philippines
Philippine Election Gun Ban Yields More Arrests for Illegal Firearms
Panay News (Philippines)
10 February 2010
SAN JOSE, Antique -- The effective implementation of the Antique Police Provincial Office (APPO) of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) gun ban has yielded positive results. APPO Information Officer PO3 Rodelio B. Canja said that from January 10 to 28, three persons were arrested and one is at-large. Confiscated on separate operations were five high-powered fire arms, two fragmentation hand grenades, two bladed weapons... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
Arizona University Students Debate Hot Issue of Hidden Handguns in Class
Wildcat (Arizona)
10 February 2010
Approximately 50 students and faculty members stood up to express their views regarding guns on campus at last night's public forum hosted by the Associated Students of the University of Arizona. People gathered in the Santa Rita Ballroom of the Student Union Memorial Center at 7 p.m. last night. ASUA senators and Executive Vice President Emily Fritze sat at a long, horizontal table looking out into the crowd of eager forum... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
US Gun Lobby Groups Fight for the Limelight in Crucial High Court Case
Washington Post
8 February 2010
The National Rifle Association was on the outside looking in when the Supreme Court handed gun rights activists a landmark victory in 2008. After the court ruled that the Second Amendment protects an individual right to gun ownership and that the District's handgun ban was unconstitutional, it was an upstart band of libertarian lawyers that celebrated on the marble steps and received the glory for the breakthrough decision. ... ( gunpolicy.org )
Philippines
Soldiers, Police Among 704 Arrested for Carrying Guns in Philippine Poll
Sun Star (Philippines)
8 February 2010
A police report said another gun ban violator was arrested Friday at a Commission on Elections (Comelec) checkpoint. Police Chief Inspector Romeo Leyte, police chief of Isabela said combined elements of Isabela Philippine National Police (IPNP) and the Alpha Company of the 11th Infantry Battalion arrested Richard Dela Torre, 34, for possessing a caliber 45 pistol. Leyte said Dela Torre was a resident of Barangay Guintubdan... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
National Rifle Assn 'Being Duped' in North Dakota Hunting Squabble
Daily News (North Dakota)
8 February 2010
There's a scam going on in North Dakota and the National Rifle Association's (NRA) Institute for Legislative Action (ILA) is being duped. Either that or they don't bother to research issues before they take a stand. Or, they're joined at the hip with the high-fence hunting lobby. On Jan. 29, the NRA-ILA issued an alert warning North Dakota residents that an anti-hunting organization was gathering signatures for... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
Maine Aims to Ban Hidden Handguns in Parks, Declare Gun Free Zones
Bangor Daily News (Maine), Editorial
8 February 2010
A bill now before the Legislature would restore the decades-old policies regulating guns in Acadia National Park, the St. Croix International Historic Site and the state's portion of the Appalachian Trail. Specifically, it would require gun owners to keep their weapons unloaded, broken down and stowed away in vehicle trunks, glove boxes or other such compartments. LD 1737 should be passed, and legislators should not allow it to turn into... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
Lawmakers Duel Over Merits of Guns in Texas State Capitol: Safe or Silly?
Wall Street Journal
8 February 2010
Lawmakers in firearm-friendly Texas are embroiled in a debate over how to make the state Capitol safer: get rid of guns or encourage even more. The discussion comes after a man last month fired several shots on the steps of the towering Capitol in Austin. State troopers tackled him and no one was wounded, but the incident spotlighted a predicament for lawmakers in a state where carrying handguns is not only legal but largely cherished.... ( gunpolicy.org )
Philippines
Philippine Election Gun Ban Nets Another 43 Arrests in Central Mindanao
Sun Star (Philippines)
7 February 2010
A total of 43 people were arrested in Central Mindanao for violating the gun ban imposed by the Commission on Elections since January 10. Chief Superintendent Josefino Cataluña, regional police director, said a total of 16 violators were arrested since February 4 in Cotabato City, 10 in North Cotabato, nine in General Santos, five in Sultan Kudarat, three in South Cotabato and one in Sarangani. A total of 34 violators... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
Starbucks Supports Gun Lobby, Allows Firearms In American Coffee Shops
Contra Costa Times (California)
5 February 2010
Starbucks has brushed aside a request from a gun control advocacy group to ban the display of guns in its retail locations, saying it will abide by laws that allow patrons to openly carry unloaded weapons. The national Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence made the request in the wake of a series of meetings in local restaurants over the past few months by Bay Area Open Carry, a group that hopes to make it legal to carry loaded... ( gunpolicy.org )
Philippines
Police, Soldiers Among 600 Arrested for Violating Philippine Poll Gun Ban
GMA TV News (Manila)
3 February 2010
More than 600 people have been arrested in the first month of the Commission on Elections' implementation of the gun ban for this year's May elections, the Philippine National Police said on Wednesday. PNP spokesman Chief Superintendent Leonardo Espina said that as of 8 a.m. Wednesday, they have arrested 607 people, 45 of them policemen and 25 of them soldiers and the rest are civilians. "As of the present naka-gather tayo... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
Baja California Police Detain Man With Illegal .50cal Sniper Rifle in Car
KPBS Radio (San Diego)
3 February 2010
Baja California police say a man they detained, who had a high calibre armor piercing gun, offered officers $20,000 to let him go. State police say an anonymous tip led them to the 32-year-old Joaquín Pedroza Ávila who was in a parked car. Officers say they found the gun in the back seat. The Barrett .50 calibre, also known as a sniper rifle, can hit targets more than a mile away. Armies around the world use the gun or... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
NRA Member Moves to Allow Hidden Handguns in Indianapolis City Parks
Indianapolis Star (Indiana)
1 February 2010
INDIANAPOLIS - A proposal to allow guns in Indianapolis parks will go before the City-County Council Monday, a measure its sponsor admits will be controversial. Current law bans weapons in city parks, but they are permitted in state parks and will soon be allowed in national parks, 6News' Joanna Massee reported. If passed, the law would allow anyone with a permit to carry a weapon to do so in a city park. City-County... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
US Gun Lobby Carefully Chose an African-American for Pivotal Court Case
Chicago Tribune
30 January 2010
From behind the wheel of his hulking GMC Suburban, 76-year-old Otis McDonald leads a crime-themed tour of his Morgan Park neighborhood. He points to the yellow brick bungalow he says is a haven for drug dealers. Down the street is the alley where five years ago he saw a teenager pull out a gun and take aim at a passing car. Around the corner, he gestures to the weed-bitten roadside where three thugs once threatened his life. ... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
47 US States Roll Back Law, in National Trend to Even Looser Gun Control
Associated Press
30 January 2010
PHOENIX -- Arizona's permissive gun laws gained national attention last year when a man openly carried an AR-15 rifle to a protest outside a speech by President Obama. Now, gun rights advocates are hoping for even fewer restrictions on where they can have a firearm. Among their top goals is to make Arizona the third state where it is legal to carry a concealed weapon without a permit. Bills in the House and the Senate would also... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
Lawmakers Wade Into Vast Overhaul, Relaxation of Georgia Gun Law
Associated Press
28 January 2010
College presidents and student leaders bristled at a proposal Wednesday that would allow some gun owners to carry firearms on college campuses as legislators waded deeper into a vast overhaul of state gun restrictions. The broad legislation would for the first time allow the estimated 300,000 Georgians with gun permits to carry their weapons in most public buildings, churches and even the state Capitol. It would also lift a ban... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
Colorado University Faces Fight for Banning Hidden Handguns on Campus
Denver Post (Colorado)
27 January 2010
A gun-rights group says it will fight Colorado State University's proposal to ban concealed weapons on the Fort Collins and Pueblo campuses. Rocky Mountain Gun Owners, which is based in Fort Collins, claims the gun ban is a clear violation of Colorado law. On Monday, the group will announce its protest plans, which may include legal action. "We are certainly going to pursue every opportunity to not let CSU wag its little... ( gunpolicy.org )
Philippines
Philippine City Wants Election Gun Ban Extended, Cites 40% Crime Drop
Philippine Daily Inquirer
26 January 2010
MANILA, Philippines -- The Quezon City police district said Tuesday it wants to institutionalize the implementation of total gun ban, citing its impact on decreasing crime incidents. City police director Chief Superintendent Elmo San Diego said there was a 40 percent decline in crime incidents reported in Quezon City since the implementation of the election gun ban on January 10. San Diego said incidents of crimes committed... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
Assault Weapon Ban Faces NRA Definition Argument in Washington State
King5 News (Washington)
26 January 2010
OLYMPIA, Washington -- State legislators heard arguments Tuesday for and against a ban on assault weapons. The Senate Judiciary Committee is considering a bill that would ban military-style assault weapons that can fire rapidly and carry a lot of ammunition. It's sponsored by Sen. Adam Kline of Seattle and faces stiff opposition in an election year. Supporters, including Washington Ceasefire and other gun control groups,... ( gunpolicy.org )
Australia
Australian Man's Love Song for Firearms Becomes an Internet Hit
Sydney Morning Herald
25 January 2010
Steve Lee says he never set out to be an internet hit. He just loves guns - and thought he would write a song about it. He says he is as shocked as anyone that his YouTube clip 'I Like Guns' has been viewed more than 1.26 million times in the six weeks it has been online. The paean to guns, produced by Bill Chambers - father of Kasey - features Lee shooting at everything from watermelons to cars, and with everything from... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
Partisan 'Battle' as Protestors Wear Guns in New Hampshire Statehouse
Portsmouth Herald (New Hampshire) / AP
24 January 2010
For New Hampshire lawmakers who support a ban on handguns and other deadly weapons at the Statehouse, a defining moment came last March 4 when the House voted down a resolution affirming "states' rights based on Jeffersonian principles." A group of about 15 supporters of the resolution were carrying handguns in the House gallery and heckling lawmakers who had their backs turned to the gallery. Also, a group of visiting school children... ( gunpolicy.org )
Philippines
Village Chiefs Resist Surrendering 1300 Philippine Govt-issued Shotguns
Philippine Daily Inquirer
22 January 2010
VILLASIS, Pangasinan -- Not one of the shotguns issued by the provincial government to 1,300 village chiefs in the province has been surrendered to the police. Provincial police director, Senior Supt. Percival Barba, said he had ordered police chiefs to recall and keep the shotguns in the police stations during the election period but so far no gun had been surrendered. Hernani Braganza, mayor of Alaminos City and one of... ( gunpolicy.org )
Philippines
Police, Military, Officials Among 357 Philippine Election Gun Ban Arrests
Philippine Daily Inquirer
22 January 2010
MANILA, Philippines -- Barely on its second week, the nationwide election gun ban has netted more than 350 violators, most of them were government employees and law enforcement units, a police official said on Friday. On Thursday alone, checkpoints led by the Commission on Elections apprehended 41 persons nationwide -- two were policemen, another two were soldiers, 36 civilians, and a government employee. This brought to... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
Big-city Mayors Defend Chicago's Handgun Ban in US Supreme Court
Chicago Sun-Times
22 January 2010
WASHINGTON -- Mayor Daley revved up a coalition of mayors Thursday to urge the U.S. Supreme Court to uphold Chicago's handgun ordinance in the wake of the Illinois State Rifle Association challenge to be argued March 2. Here for the winter meeting of the U.S. Conference of Mayors, Daley also went to the White House with other mayors for a session with President Obama and Vice President Joe Biden. And in his role as the "mayor of... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
Colorado State University Considers Banning Hidden Handguns in Class
Denver Post (Colorado)
21 January 2010
Colorado State University administrators released a draft weapons-control policy Wednesday that would ban all firearms from campus. And while CSU's Board of Governors is expected to enact the policy at its Feb. 23 meeting, student leaders say they won't give up their right to carry concealed weapons on the Fort Collins and Pueblo campuses without having another say in the issue. "Oh, there is no doubt we will respond to... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
US Brady Campaign Accuses Obama of 'Running Away from Gun Control'
The Hill (Washington DC)
19 January 2010
President Barack Obama on Monday received a failing grade from the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence for running away from gun control. The group, which endorsed Obama in 2008, gave him an "F" on every issue it scored, including background checks, gun trafficking, guns in public, the federal assault weapons ban, standing up to the gun lobby and leadership. "It's been a very disappointing year for us, especially considering... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
US Police Chiefs Cite 'Alarming Increase' in Crime Using Assault Weapons
New York Times, Editorial
17 January 2010
The nation's police chiefs are finding an alarming increase in criminals' use of assault weapons -- the high-powered battlefield rifles that used to be banned, back when the federal government showed greater concern for public safety. The 10-year ban expired in 2004, despite the vows of presidential nominees from both parties to fight for renewal. Congress hasn't mustered the guts to try, preferring to roll over for the gun lobby. A... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
7-5 Vote Affirms New Hampshire State Building Gun Ban
Nashua Telegraph
16 January 2010
CONCORD, New Hampshire -- A joint legislative committee has reaffirmed a ban on guns and dangerous weapons in the Statehouse complex. The Legislative Facilities Committee took more than an hour of testimony Friday from House members on both sides before again adopting the ban by a 7-5 vote. The policy allows only licensed law enforcement personnel to possess a gun or dangerous weapon in the Statehouse, Legislative Office Building... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
Hidden Handgun Permit Details to Remain Suppressed in Indiana
Indianapolis Star (Indiana)
15 January 2010
Lawmakers this session are having to weigh the constitutional rights of gun owners against those of the media and employers, and so far, gun owners are emerging the victors. Thursday, a House committee voted 11-0 to keep information about gun permits from being released to the public -- information The Indianapolis Star has used to document how guns have fallen into violent hands. That same committee is working on legislation... ( gunpolicy.org )
Cte d'Ivoire
Côte d'Ivoire Begins 'Election Without Gun Violence' Campaign [Francais]
Le Patriote (Abidjan)
15 January 2010
[Translated summary: 'Elections without Gun Violence' was launched in Abidjan at the National Commission on small arms, by Michele Pepe, president of the Cote d'Ivoire Action Network on Small Arms (RASALAO), an IANSA affiliate.] Les élections, on le sait, sont généralement sources de passion et de tension en Afrique. La Côte d'Ivoire, qui se prépare, pour l'élection présidentielle, n'échappe pas à la règle. C'est... ( gunpolicy.org )
Philippines
Militias Armed With Machine Guns Outnumber Police and Military
Inquirer Mindanao
14 January 2010
ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines -- There are more members of private armies in Sulu and Basilan than security forces combined, according to a source privy to police matters and operations. There are also more firearms in the two provinces than the actual number of registered voters combined, according to the same source, who was with Philippine National Police Director General Jesus Versoza during inspection and assessment here Sunday.... ( gunpolicy.org )
Philippines
Gun Ban to Prevent Philippine Election-Related Violence
New York Times
14 January 2010
MANILA -- A nationwide gun ban took effect Sunday in the Philippines to stave off any increase in political violence as elections draw closer, officials said. Elections in the Philippines are almost always bloody, mainly because of the dominance of political dynasties, the presence of nearly 70 private armies and militias and the proliferation of what are called "loose firearms" -- mostly unlicensed and unregistered weapons. ... ( gunpolicy.org )
Philippines
70 Arrested Not Complying With Philippine Gun Ban
al Jazeera
14 January 2010
Police in the Philippines say they have arrested at least 70 people since Sunday's imposition of a nationwide ban on guns ahead of elections later this year. Some 3,500 checkpoints have been set up across the country to enforce the ban which officials hope will cut the number of politically-motivated killings which usually blight election campaigns. The five-month ban started on Sunday and applies to everyone including... ( gunpolicy.org )
Philippines
Guns Banned to Prevent Philippine Election Violence
The National (Abu Dhabi)
13 January 2010
MANILA // The Philippine government imposes a total ban on carrying firearms throughout the country today in the run-up to the general elections on May 10. As well, police and military units are moving throughout the nation to dismantle private armies in an attempt to keep political violence down. Police and the military have identified between 90 and 132 private armies and have designated more than 500 towns and municipalities... ( gunpolicy.org )
|
