Gun Policy News
Firearms, guns and small arms prohibited by law
Utøya Massacre 10 Years On: What Has Changed In Norway?
22 July 2021
Conversation
It has been 10 years since 77 people – mostly teenage political activists – were massacred in a far-right terror attack in Norway that shocked the country and the world.
Anders Breivik was 32 years old on July 22 2011 when he detonated an ammonium nitrate fertiliser bomb at 15:25pm in the Regjeringskvartalet district of Oslo, attempting to assassinate government officials, killing eight. Ninety minutes later, as emergency services responded to the bomb, Breivik,... (GunPolicy.org)
Is the Possession of Weapons Sufficiently Regulated in France?
10 June 2021
BFM.TV (France)
As cases of feminicide and gun assaults have increased in recent weeks, many questions have arisen around the sale and control of guns.
Handguns and long guns
At the end of a search carried out on Wednesday at Arthur C.'s, the second man arrested as part of the investigation into the slap given to Emmanuel Macron the day before, in the Drôme, the investigators seized this "booty", as well as a copy of Mein Kampf. This discovery raises many questions about the... (GunPolicy.org)
What the Overturning of California's Assault Weapons Ban Means for America
8 June 2021
Guardian
In a polarizing decision on Friday night, a federal judge struck down California's 32-year-old ban on assault weapons, ruling that it violated Americans' constitutional right to own guns for self protection. In the 94-page decision, Judge Roger Benitez compared an AR-15 rifle to a "Swiss army knife" and falsely claimed that more Californians had died from the Covid-19 vaccine than from mass shootings. [See footnote]
Although the decision has sparked outrage in... (GunPolicy.org)
Forthcoming ASW Buyback Campaign and Ban in Canada
11 February 2021
CBC News (Canada)
Voluntary program will provide compensation to gun owners who give up firearms on blacklist
The Liberal government is expected to table a bill in the coming days that will set up a program to buy back assault-style weapons that were blacklisted last spring, Radio-Canada has learned.
The voluntary program will provide financial compensation to gun owners who give up their banned weapons, with the aim of taking them out of circulation.
Public Safety Minister Bill Blair... (GunPolicy.org)
Insecurity and the Right to Bear Arms in Nigeria
4 November 2020
Guardian (Nigeria)
One of the cardinal responsibilities of government is the safeguard of lives and properties, provided under Section14 (2) (b) of the 1999 Constitution as amended. So paramount is this responsibility that the entire economic, social and political progress of any society depends on it.
Nigeria for the past decade has witnessed unprecedented amount of bloodshed, destruction of properties and displacement of people from their native homes and places of business. The level... (GunPolicy.org)
Canada Bans Civilian Ownership of Assault Weapons After Mass Shooting
1 May 2020
New York Times
Nearly two weeks after the deadliest mass shooting in Canada's history, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Friday introduced an immediate ban on what he described as "military-style assault weapons."
"These weapons were designed for one purpose and one purpose only: to kill the largest number of people in the shortest amount of time," Mr. Trudeau said. "There is no use and no place for such weapons in Canada."
The ban means that Canadians will no longer be able to own... (GunPolicy.org)
GunPolicy Director on Proposed Firearms Registry in New Zealand
28 February 2020
New Zealand Herald
Gun owners decrying law reforms are selfish by putting personal inconveniences above public safety, a gun safety expert says.
And Philip Alpers, who used to host TV show Fair Go and is now a public health expert, supports a national gun register because he believes it would make the biggest improvement to community safety.
A bill that would set up a register, among other things, is currently passing through Parliament and its passage might depend on NZ First, which is... (GunPolicy.org)
Nigerian Security Bans Display of Firearms in Public
29 January 2020
Daily Independent (Nigeria)
The Commandant General of the corps, Abdullahi Gana Muhammadu of NSCDC, has banned members of the Civil Defence armed squad from the display of firearms, especially in public places.
He said this when he paid a condolence visit to the former governor of Imo state and serving Senator Rochas Okorocha to commiserate with him on the demise of an illustrious son of the state.
Abdullahi maintained that the order was necessitated by the need to prevent future occurrences of... (GunPolicy.org)
NZ Ban on Most Semiautomatic Weapons Takes Effect
20 December 2019
New York Times
A sweeping nationwide ban on most semiautomatic weapons took effect in New Zealand on Saturday, as a monthslong gun buyback and amnesty program ended amid debate over its success.
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern had announced a temporary ban just days after a terror attack on two mosques in Christchurch in March that left 51 people dead and was streamed live on Facebook. Weeks later, all but one of Parliament's 120 lawmakers voted to make the ban permanent. It outlaws... (GunPolicy.org)
Bygone US Assault Weapon Ban Was Effective
4 September 2019
New York Times, Blog
Recent mass shootings have revived demands for meaningful gun control. But many opponents of a renewed federal ban on assault weapons, led by the National Rifle Association, say the earlier ban, from 1994 to 2004, made no difference. Our new research shows otherwise.
We found that public mass shootings — which we defined as incidents in which a gunman killed at least six people in public — dropped during the decade of the federal ban. Yet, in the 15 years since the... (GunPolicy.org)
Survey Reveals a Third of NZ Gun Owners Distrust Gun Lobby
13 August 2019
The Conversation
The terrorist attacks on the Christchurch Muslim community on 15 March this year resulted in a political response that was decidedly different from what usually follows mass shootings in the United States.
The speed of legislative action, banning military-style semi-automatic weapons (MSSAs) within days of the attack, was remarked on both at home and around the world. Some gun owners began handing over their MSSAs to police voluntarily after the attacks, and hundreds... (GunPolicy.org)
NZ Begins Buy-back of Assault Weapons
20 June 2019
Reuters
WELLINGTON - New Zealand's government on Thursday launched a multimillion-dollar, six-month "buy-back" scheme to compensate owners of powerful but newly banned semi-automatic weapons prohibited in the wake of deadly attacks on two mosques in the Southern city of Christchurch.
Finance Minister Grant Robertson and Minister of Police Stuart Nash said in a joint emailed statement that NZ$208 million ($135.97 million) had been set aside to compensate owners of the banned... (GunPolicy.org)
Swiss Gun Referendum Background
20 May 2019
EuroNews
Switzerland — one of the most heavily armed countries in Europe — voted to comply with stricter European Union gun laws in a referendum Sunday.
While Switzerland doesn't belong to the EU, it is part of the bloc's Schengen Area which is a zone that can be visited without a visa or passport by citizens of 26 European nations.
Following terrorist gun attacks in Paris and Brussels in 2015 and 2016, the EU tightened gun rules, known as the "EU Gun Ban", the bloc... (GunPolicy.org)
PM Ardern on Gun Control in US and NZ
15 May 2019
Washington Post
New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern spoke out this week about a matter that has long puzzled many foreign observers of the United States: the country's inability to rein in gun violence.
Speaking to CNN's Christiane Amanpour, the prime minister said: "Australia experienced a massacre and changed their laws. New Zealand had its experience and changed its laws. To be honest with you, I do not understand the United States."
Ardern was referring both to a 1996... (GunPolicy.org)
Gun Law Change Fast-track has 'Outpaced' Gun Lobby
2 April 2019
Radio New Zealand
The speed with which the government has fast-tracked changes to firearms laws has left the gun lobby in a spin, according to an Australian academic.
By the end of next week, politicians expect the Arms Amendment Bill to come into force.
It will ban semi-automatic weapons and military style semi-automatics, with the exception of shotguns and low-calibre rifles.
Parts, magazines and ammunition which can make a gun illegal will also be banned, and there will be tougher... (GunPolicy.org)
Consensus on New Zealand Gun Control
29 March 2019
Policy Forum (Canberra)
In the wake of the worst terror attack in New Zealand's history, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has shown outstanding leadership on gun control, building a consensus for reasonable reform that other leaders have much to learn from, Michael Picard writes.
New Zealand's response to the Christchurch mass-shooting shows that a country can find unity, rather than division, on gun reform. Strong and definitive leadership, a balanced approach to reforming gun laws, and... (GunPolicy.org)
Australia's Gun Destruction Prevented 16 Mass Shootings - Study
13 March 2018
Annals of Internal Medicine
Background: In 1996, after the Port Arthur massacre in Tasmania, the National Firearms Agreement was enacted across Australia. Provisions included uniform gun registration, repudiation of self-defense as a legitimate reason to hold a firearm licence, locked storage, a ban on private gun sales and civilian ownership of semiautomatic rifles and pump-action shotguns, and standardized penalties (1). Two buyback programs and 26 uncompensated amnesties between 1996 and 2015... (GunPolicy.org)
Tougher Gun Laws Pass Vic Upper House
6 February 2018
Australian Associated Press
Tougher gun laws targeting gang members, bikies and terrorists have passed Victoria's upper house.
Under the laws, police will be able to impose a firearm prohibition order on someone as young as 14, banning them from acquiring or carrying a gun and meaning they can be searched without a warrant.
The orders would target those with a history of crime, criminal association or who posed a risk to public safety.
The Andrews Labor government bill passed the Legislative... (GunPolicy.org)
How the AR-15 Became The Most Popular Rifle In America
14 December 2017
CNN
Larry Hyatt had never seen such a frenzy.
The lines at Hyatt Guns, his shop in Charlotte, North Carolina, snaked out the door. The deep, green-walled warehouse bills itself as the largest gun shop in America, but even then Hyatt had to stretch to meet the demand.
At one point, he dispatched 37 salespeople to man the cash registers. He put up velvet ropes and hired a police officer. He even put a hot dog stand outside.
It was just after the Sandy Hook massacre -- and... (GunPolicy.org)
US Virgin Islands Shows Registration-Confiscation Link
30 October 2017
NRA Publications (USA)
If there were ever a perfect example of the endgame of the gun-ban crowd and their ultimate weapon -- registration of firearm owners -- it comes with the order by the governor of the U.S. Virgin Islands to confiscate registered firearms from law-abiding citizens as a response to the impending devastation of Hurricane Irma.
Gov. Kenneth Mapp, in a toxic Sept. 4 order, proclaimed that the activated National Guard "is authorized and directed to seize arms,... (GunPolicy.org)
Interview on Illicit Firearms in Myanmar
21 October 2017
The Irrawaddy
Ye Ni: Welcome to Dateline Irrawaddy. This week, we'll discuss the current talk of the town—the arrest of U Phyo Ko Ko Tint San who was found with firearms and illegal drugs at Naypyitaw Airport. Lawyer U Than Zaw Aung (TZA) and The Irrawaddy Burmese editor U Yan Paing join me to discuss this. I'm Irrawaddy Burmese editor Ye Ni…
TZA: There were gun licenses issued under the BSPP government starting from 1977 but only to those who were fully-fledged party members... (GunPolicy.org)
Weapon-dense Sweden Does not Have the United States' Problems
10 October 2017
Goteborgs-Posten
Did you know that Sweden is one of the world's most weapon-proof countries? Neither did I, but given the US debate on gun control after the Las Vegas massacre, it's interesting.
So I read on.
In total, there are about two million legal weapons in Sweden, which sounds like a lot, but has an undramatic explanation: The Swedish hunting tradition. Hunting weapons account for 80 percent of all weapons. The amount of weapons is also increased by the fact that shooting... (GunPolicy.org)
Prominent Assassination with Military Firearm in Myanmar
2 February 2017
New York Times
YANGON, Myanmar — The soft-spoken rights lawyer had devised a plan to replace Myanmar's Constitution with one that would strip the military of its extraordinary political powers.
The lawyer, U Ko Ni, a top adviser to the governing National League for Democracy, had recently been working on a new draft, a colleague said, and he hoped to promote his project at a conference this month.
But when he returned to the Yangon airport on Sunday from a trip to Indonesia,... (GunPolicy.org)
Gun Background Checks Work, May Hamper Suicide Prevention
17 November 2016
Channel News Asia (Singapore), Reuters
Gun control laws that mandate a background check before a gun can be temporarily transferred to a friend or family member may interfere with suicide prevention efforts, researchers say.
The research team looked at what happens when people want to temporarily remove firearms from their home because they fear someone in the house might be considering a suicide attempt. In some states, they found, gun control laws may actually hamper the ability to easily transfer a gun... (GunPolicy.org)
Education to Reduce Gun Incidents in US Instead of Regulation
16 November 2016
Dallas Morning News (Texas), Opinion
I have had the privilege of competing in shotgun clay target tournaments across America and Europe for the last 40 years. I'm routinely in the company of hundreds of people, all carrying firearms and ammunition. I've fired several hundred thousand rounds in practice and competition. In all that time and experience, I have never seen nor heard of anyone being injured in a firearm- or shooting-related incident.
National data reflects that there are rarely firearm-related... (GunPolicy.org)
Syria,Iraq,Slovakia,European Union
Europe Split on Reforms and Regulations to Curb Gun Violence
14 November 2016
EUObserver (Belgium)
EU lawmakers are meeting on Tuesday (15 November) for another round of backroom talks to curb gun violence and prevent terrorists from acquiring weapons on the black market.
Debates around the European Commission's EU firearms directive reform, proposed in the aftermath the Paris November terrorist attacks, appears to be advancing as positions converge between the two co-legislatures at the European Parliament and the Council, representing member states.
"There is a... (GunPolicy.org)
Marianas to Register Firearms After Court Nixes Gun Controls
14 November 2016
Guns (US)
Despite a federal ruling issued in September that struck down a handgun registration scheme in the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, local lawmakers have passed another.
After a series of lawsuits ended the U.S. territory's total ban on handgun ownership, the local government adopted the Special Act for Firearms Enforcement earlier this year. The law imposed sweeping gun control measures, licensing schemes and strict rules regarding how one carries and... (GunPolicy.org)
Gun Control Measures Expected to Win in Four US States
8 November 2016
Reuters
Gun control-related ballot measures in four states are expected to pass on Tuesday, opinion polls showed, after gun safety advocates poured a massive amount of money into backing the initiatives.
In Maine and Nevada, residents are voting on whether to mandate universal background checks for firearm sales, including private handgun transactions.
If those two measures pass, half of all Americans would live in states that have such expanded checks. Eighteen states and... (GunPolicy.org)
Over 100 Controversial Adler Shotguns Registered in Tasmania
6 November 2016
Mercury (Tasmania)
More than 100 five-shot Adler shotguns are registered in Tasmania, Police Minister Rene Hidding has divulged.
And a simple "do it yourself" kit available online can see the five-shot 12 gauge converted into an 11-round rapid fire shotgun.
It follows concerns by anti-gun advocates about the number of firearms in Tasmania and the proliferation of small arsenals across the state.
The Adler lever-action shotgun rose to notoriety after its Turkish manufacturer released a... (GunPolicy.org)
Gun Maker Sees Firearm Sales Soar as US Election Looms
2 November 2016
CNN
Sturm, Ruger (RGR) reported that sales jumped by a third, to $161.4 million, in the quarter ended Oct. 1 compared with the same period last year. Earnings rose 66%. The company's stock rose 2% in early trading Wednesday.
The company said sales are up across the industry, based on FBI data on background checks, which tend to rise and fall along with sales.
Sales were "likely bolstered by the political campaign for next week's election," Chris Killoy, the Sturm, Ruger... (GunPolicy.org)
Sudden Spike in US Gun Sales Down to 'Fear of Clinton Victory'
2 November 2016
Independent (UK)
One of the biggest manufacturers of hand guns and assault rifles in the United States is reporting soaring sales in the run-up to the presidential election as enthusiasts fear that a Hillary Clinton victory over Donald Trump could lead to restrictive new gun-control measures.
Sturm, Ruger, maker of AR-type assault rifles as well as an array of other rifles and pistols, said in an earnings call that sales rose by one third, to $161.4 million, in the quarter that ended 1... (GunPolicy.org)
What Conservatives Get Right About Guns - Guardian US Expert
28 October 2016
GQ (US)
I grew up in Connecticut, firmly on one side of the gun culture war. My parents thought it was wrong even to let kids play with toy guns. But I made a vow to myself when I started covering this debate: I would not be one one of those New York City journalists who writes ignorant, condescending stories about "gun nuts."
As it expanded into the United States, the liberal British newspaper The Guardian did something most media outlets haven't done: it assigned a reporter... (GunPolicy.org)
Support for Assault Weapon Ban at Record Low in US - Gallup
26 October 2016
Gallup (US)
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- The fewest Americans in 20 years favor making it illegal to manufacture, sell or possess semi-automatic guns known as assault rifles. Thirty-six percent now want an assault weapons ban, down from 44% in 2012 and 57% when Gallup first asked the question in 1996.
Assault rifles have been a contentious issue in American life for decades. Two years after President Bill Clinton signed a federal assault weapons ban in 1994, Gallup found that a solid... (GunPolicy.org)
Australia Justice Minister Said Consulting Only With Gun Lobby
24 October 2016
Guardian
A group of 30 domestic violence groups, gun control advocates, politicians and prominent Australians has criticised the federal justice minister, Michael Keenan, for holding "one-sided" meetings in 2015 with the firearms lobby on changes to Australia's gun laws.
Minutes from the firearms reference industry group obtained by Guardian Australia show Keenan told firearms lobby groups in a private meeting in September 2015 that the government wanted to cut "red tape" from... (GunPolicy.org)
California on Brink of US Election Upset Over Gun Control
24 October 2016
Los Angeles Times
Proposition 63 would enact the toughest gun controls in the United States. But it also would do something else: represent an astonishing historical milestone.
And if passed as expected, the ballot measure would illustrate a textbook example of how public policy can be radically changed in a democracy laden with competing checks and balances.
How is that? Through the long, slow process of taking incremental steps over decades. By pushing hard and steadily, but with... (GunPolicy.org)
Australian Gun Lobby, Leyonhjelm Shot Themselves in the Foot
21 October 2016
The New Daily (Australia)
Adler Arms Corp, the Turkish manufacturer of the A110 lever-action rapid-fire 12 gauge shotgun, will not legally be entitled to distribute its product to Australian consumers for the indefinite future.
After assembled state and Commonwealth ministers failed to reach consensus on Friday about an appropriate risk assessed classification for the Adler, it appears the gun lobby, in particular Liberal Democrat cross bench Senator David Leyonhjelm has shot itself in the... (GunPolicy.org)
Europe's Pro-gun Lobbies Dilute Planned EU Gun Control Law
21 October 2016
Deutsche Welle
The European Commission's attempts to ban the most dangerous semi-automatic weapons, such as AK-47 assault rifles, are being watered down thanks to pressure from a pan-European alliance of gun associations, according to documents leaked to "Der Spiegel" magazine.
The Commission's proposal, drawn up in the wake of last year's terrorist attacks at the Charlie Hebdo offices in Paris, is due to be finalized over the coming weeks by the European Parliament, the Commission,... (GunPolicy.org)
Australia Gun Laws: Which Way Will We Go? - Guardian OpEd
21 October 2016
Guardian, Opinion
On Friday, the state police ministers will meet to finalise the review of the National Firearms Agreement (NFA) including the fate of the Adler A110 lever-action shotgun.
The importance of this meeting should not be underestimated. In summary, the ministers are deciding the future direction of Australia's gun laws. A future that could see the demise of Australia's strong gun laws and the continual rise of the pro-gun lobby.
One issue which the states and commonwealth... (GunPolicy.org)
Australia Extends Ban on Adler Rapid-fire Lever Action Shotgun
20 October 2016
ABC News (Australia)
Police ministers met in Melbourne this morning to consider a new classification for the lever-action shotgun.
There is currently a ban in place on Adler shotguns that have a magazine capacity of more than five rounds.
The ABC understands concerns were raised that tightened restrictions on the seven-shot Adler would struggle to pass Parliament in certain states.
The Australian Federal Police and Justice Minister Michael Keenan said there was a "majority" view but that... (GunPolicy.org)
Six out of 10 Favour Carrying Hidden Handguns in Mexico [ES]
19 October 2016
Lopez Doriga
[Translated Summary: According to a study, 59 out of 100 Mexicans think government should allow them to carry hidden handguns in public, in private vehicles and in shops for self defence. When asked, 41% said they would buy a gun.]
A 59 de cada cien mexicanos les parece que las leyes deben permitir la posesión de armas más allá del hogar para emplearlas en legítima defensa y creen que deben autorizarse en el auto o negocio para defenderse de la criminalidad.
El... (GunPolicy.org)
New Australian Gun Ban Hits Rapid-fire Shotgun - NY Times
19 October 2016
New York Times, Associated Press
Australia's tough gun controls will be further tightened to restrict access to new rapid-fire shotguns, the prime minister said Wednesday.
But a pro-gun independent senator warned Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull that the move will add to the government's difficulty in getting legislation through the Senate.
Turnbull was commenting on the fate of the Adler A110 shotgun, a Turkish-manufactured lever-action weapon that was banned from importation last year as an... (GunPolicy.org)
Tough Gun Laws Averted Massacres - Another Ex-Australia PM
19 October 2016
Guardian
Tony Abbott has challenged Malcolm Turnbull directly on gun regulation, warning Australia has avoided a mass casualty event because "it is very hard to get guns".
Abbott's intervention came as the West Australian premier, Colin Barnett, said he did not support lifting the ban on the Adler lever-action shotgun, putting him at odds with New South Wales, which is backing a push to allow the importation of a seven-shot version of the firearm.
The persistent standoff... (GunPolicy.org)
Winding Back Gun Laws a Risk to Australia, Says Foundation
19 October 2016
Guardian
One of Australia's most prominent children's charities has urged the attorney general, George Brandis, and police ministers across the country not to wind back gun restrictions that could allow people to obtain an "unlimited" number of pump action or semi-automatic shotguns.
The Alannah & Madeline Foundation, which was established by Walter Mikac in memory of his two children Alannah and Madeline who were killed in the Port Arthur massacre in 1996, has written an... (GunPolicy.org)
Australian PM Under Fire As 'Guns For Votes' Row Explodes
19 October 2016
Australian (Sydney)
A political storm over "guns for votes" has forced Malcolm Turnbull to rule out weakening import bans on lethal weapons after the release of emails showing the government raised the prospect of phasing out a ban on a controversial shotgun in return for a key vote in the Senate.
The damaging row overshadowed Mr Turnbull's push in parliament for curbs on union power as Labor accused the government of destroying the legacy of John Howard's tough gun controls, imposed two... (GunPolicy.org)
US Gun Industry Wakes Up, Begins to Fear Trump Threats
17 October 2016
Guns (USA), Opinion
On the opening night of recent gun writers' conference in Orlando, Jason Wilson, founder and CEO of Wyoming-based Lucid Optics, made a statement that would be brought up in quiet, side discussions for the duration of the event.
"No matter who wins, it will cost the industry," said Wilson, whose once-small business now has distributors in 14 countries. He might be onto something.
Wilson isn't shy about saying that some components of his products are made overseas.... (GunPolicy.org)
Four Key US States Will Vote Pro/Con Stricter Gun Control
6 October 2016
USA Today
WASHINGTON — Voters in four states will decide on proposed gun restrictions next month, as gun-safety proponents, often rebuffed by Congress and state officials, increasingly turn to ballot initiatives to push passage of stricter firearms laws.
Voters in Maine and Nevada will decide whether to expand background checks for gun buyers. In Washington state, where activists passed a background-check measure two years ago, voters will decide whether judges can temporarily... (GunPolicy.org)
Australia Prepares New Gun Amnesty as City Shootings Rise
26 September 2016
Nikkei Asian Review
SYDNEY -- A crazed gunman shot dead 35 people at Port Arthur, a historic tourist site in the Australian island state of Tasmania in April 1996, prompting then-Prime Minister John Howard to outlaw military-style assault weapons and introduce a gun buyback scheme as part of a tough set of national firearm laws.
Australia's gun homicide and suicide rates have both fallen markedly in the intervening 20 years and there have been no mass shootings (defined as five or more... (GunPolicy.org)
Australia Mulls More Gun Control as Gun Crimes Spike - NRA
20 September 2016
America's First Freedom
Hillary Clinton has said Australia's 1996 gun ban—and subsequent confiscation and destruction of over 650,000 guns from pump shotguns to rimfire .22 rifles from lawful people like you—is an idea "worth considering on the national level."
Australians beg to differ.
Today, 20 years after Australia's gun ban, gun crime is skyrocketing in Melbourne, Australia's second-largest city. And now politicians are talking about passing new gun-control laws to further disarm... (GunPolicy.org)
Australian Gun Owners Shoot Effigy of Gun Control Activist
12 September 2016
ABC News (Australia)
Police have been asked to investigate footage of a man shooting and setting alight an effigy of Gun Control Australia leader Sam Lee.
The YouTube video shows two gun enthusiasts customising and demonstrating a controversial Adler lever action shotgun.
The video then cuts to a blonde doll, dubbed "Sham Leigh from Fun Control Australia".
The doll is shot multiple times until the head blows apart, which is then replayed in slow motion. The effigy is then set... (GunPolicy.org)
Medical Marijuana Patients Can't Buy Guns, Says US Court
7 September 2016
Washington Post
An appeals court ruled last week that a federal law prohibiting medical marijuana cardholders from purchasing guns does not violate their Second Amendment rights, because marijuana has been linked to "irrational or unpredictable behavior."
The ruling came in the case of a Nevada woman who attempted to purchase a handgun in 2011, but was denied when the gun store owner recognized her as a medical marijuana cardholder, according to court documents. S. Rowan Wilson... (GunPolicy.org)
Legal Marijuana Users Can't Buy Guns, Says US Federal Court
31 August 2016
New York Times, Associated Press
A federal ban on the sale of guns to medical marijuana card holders does not violate the Second Amendment, a federal appeals court said Wednesday.
The ruling by the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals applies to the nine Western states that fall under the court's jurisdiction, including California, Washington and Oregon.
It came in a lawsuit filed by S. Rowan Wilson, a Nevada woman who said she tried to buy a firearm for self-defense in 2011 after obtaining a medical... (GunPolicy.org)
Swiss Protest Against EU's Plan to Tighten Gun Control
31 August 2016
Business Insider, Reuters
ZURICH -- Friction between Switzerland and the European Union over the bloc's plans to tighten gun control following a rise in militant attacks could turn into another serious snag in ties already tested by Swiss efforts to curb immigration.
The proposed directive, which applies to non-EU member Switzerland only because it is part of Europe's Schengen open border system, has raised hackles among the Swiss, who resent intervention from Brussels.
Christoph Blocher, a... (GunPolicy.org)
Claims of the NRA's Favorite Social Scientist, Debunked
30 August 2016
Vox (USA)
The War Against Guns: Arming Yourself Against Gun Control Lies by John Lott is well on its way to ascending into the pantheon of pro-gun literature. A parade of conservative heavyweights has lavished praise on the book since its publication this month, among them Ted Cruz, Marco Rubio, Newt Gingrich, Grover Norquist, Ann Coulter, and Sean Hannity. Cruz opined that "the Second Amendment has no better defender than John Lott," adding that with this book, Lott "has done... (GunPolicy.org)
Professors, Students' Opinions About Guns on Campus - NYT
27 August 2016
New York Times
As classes began here at the University of Texas this past week amid a new law allowing concealed handguns on college campuses in the state, an accounting student quietly strapped on a pistol and headed to class.
A pre-med sophomore joined a raucous protest against the law.
A professor who had sued to stop the law resigned herself to teaching with handguns in the classroom.
And the college president sought out ways to safeguard the campus culture that he cherished... (GunPolicy.org)
Even Trump Backers Favour More Gun Sale Background Checks
27 August 2016
Guardian
Even as the partisan divide on gun rights widens in the US, an overwhelming majority of both Clinton and Trump supporters say they support several of the gun control reform proposals that have failed to pass Congress over the past few years, according to a new national survey from the Pew Research Center.
Seventy-five percent of Trump supporters said they favor background checks on private gun sales and sales at gun shows, as did 90% of Clinton supporters. And 82% of... (GunPolicy.org)
Germany,Switzerland,Austria,Czech Republic,United Kingdom,United States,France
In Fear of Terror, Europeans Buy More Guns, Scare Devices
23 August 2016
Reuters
Europeans in a number of countries are seeking to arm themselves with guns and self-defence devices in growing numbers following a series of attacks by militants and the mentally ill. Here are some figures.
- In Germany, permits for scare devices including blank guns and those that fire pepper spray rose 49 percent to 402,301 in the year to June, federal statistics show.
However, the number of certificates to possess firearms dipped marginally to 1,894,283 from... (GunPolicy.org)
Mexico Asks US Congress to Renew Ban On Assault Weapons
23 August 2016
News X (India)
Mexico's Foreign Minister Claudia Ruiz Massieu has asked the US Congress to restrict the sale of assault weapons as "they cause harm on both sides of the border".
Massieu made this call at the Second Conference of States Parties to the Arms Trade Treaty of the UN in Geneva, Switzerland, on Monday.
According to a Foreign Ministry statement, Massieu said that Mexico "places the highest priority" on this matter, as the country has suffered from the illegal arms trade,... (GunPolicy.org)
Most Young US Adults Support Gun Sale Background Checks
6 August 2016
Guardian, Associated Press
About nine in 10 young American adults say they support criminal background checks for all gun sales, according to a new GenForward poll.
Such support remains consistent across racial and ethnic groups, the poll found – stiffer penalties for violating existing gun laws are supported by nine in 10 young whites, Asian Americans and Latinos and eight in 10 African Americans. More than half (57%) of young Americans support a ban on rapid-firing semi-automatic weapons,... (GunPolicy.org)
Smith & Wesson Gives $500,000 to Fight Assault Rifle Ban
4 August 2016
Guardian
Gun manufacturer Smith & Wesson has donated $500,000 to the US's largest gun industry trade body to help its fightback against the Massachusetts attorney general's ban on the sale of assault rifles to civilians.
Smith & Wesson, whose shares this week hit a record high on the back of increasing demand for its assault rifles and other guns, said it had donated the money to the National Shooting Sports Foundation's (NSSF) battle against "arbitrary government action that... (GunPolicy.org)
Germany,France,Europe,Czech Republic
Czech President Touts New Law to Keep Guns for Self Defence
3 August 2016
New American (USA)
Reflecting a startling change of heart, Czech Republic President Miloš Zeman (shown), once opposed to private civilian ownership of firearms for self-defense, told local Czech newspaper Blesk: "Earlier I spoke often about limiting the ability [of citizens] to have large quantities of weapons. But after the terrorist attacks [in France], I have changed the idea." He is now pushing the Czech parliament to adopt a new law that would allow citizens to purchase, keep, and... (GunPolicy.org)
Adler Shotgun Ban Must Be Broader, Gun Control Australia Says
1 August 2016
Guardian
An extended government ban on the Adler A110 shotgun won't stop use of "DIY kits" to enhance the firepower of similar weapons that have been approved, leading to renewed calls for the ban to be broadened.
Last week the justice minister, Michael Keenan, announced an extension of a one-year ban on the importation of the Adler A110 shotgun.
The ban was initiated in 2015 amid growing concerns about rapid-fire weaponry into Australia, as the state and federal governments... (GunPolicy.org)
NRA Advocates for Some Black Gun Owners, But Not Others
21 July 2016
The Trace (USA)
The day after Philando Castile was shot dead by a police officer during a traffic stop, his girlfriend Diamond Reynolds spoke at a march on the Minnesota governor's mansion. Reynolds, who filmed the aftermath of the shooting, made an unusual first demand for an African-American protester decrying police violence: She insisted police treat concealed carriers with respect.
Reynolds says Castile, who held a concealed weapons permit, told the officer that pulled him over... (GunPolicy.org)
US Street-level Police are More Likely to Support Gun Rights
19 July 2016
Guardian
US police officers, on the front lines of gun violence every day, have particular reason to be on edge in the presence of civilians carrying guns, after 11 days in which eight officers were killed in two planned shootings.
With Cleveland's open-carry law now also in the spotlight as many fear violence around the Republican national convention, the Cleveland police union went so far as to ask Governor (and former Republican presidential candidate) John Kasich to suspend... (GunPolicy.org)
AR-15 Rifle Demand Rises After New California Gun Controls
19 July 2016
Breitbart
Gun store owners in California say the demand for AR-15s has skyrocketed in the wake of the new gun controls signed by Governor Jerry Brown on July 1.
Among those controls is a law that will enhance the state's ban on "assault weapons."
According to KION, Ray Parga, owner of Marina's Del Valle Gunsmithing, said "California compliant rifles" sold so fast they are now "now-existent" on store shelves. Moreover, he said, demand is so great that the incoming shipments of... (GunPolicy.org)
Dallas Police Hampered, Not Helped by 'Good Guys With Guns'
11 July 2016
Los Angeles Times
Remember this drivel?
"The only thing that stops a bad guy with a gun is a good guy with a gun."
Well, that gun lobby rubbish was again disproved in Dallas.
Twelve good guys — law enforcement men and women trained to shoot — were stopped by one bad guy. Five officers were killed and seven wounded. Two civilians also were injured before the bad guy was finally stopped by a bomb-carrying robot.
How many good guys with guns were there trying to subdue this bad... (GunPolicy.org)
Texas Gun Laws Blurred Lines Between Suspects and Marchers
10 July 2016
New York Times
DALLAS — As a demonstration against police shootings made its way downtown here on Thursday, it differed from others around the country in one startling way: Twenty to 30 of the marchers showed up with AR-15s and other types of military-style rifles and wore them openly, with the straps slung across their shoulders and backs.
In Texas, it was not only legal. It was commonplace.
The state has long been a bastion of pro-gun sentiment and the kind of place where both... (GunPolicy.org)
Texas Professors Sue Over 'Hidden Handguns on Campus' Law
6 July 2016
Dallas Morning News (Texas)
AUSTIN — Three professors at the University of Texas at Austin have sued the state over a new law that will allow the carrying of concealed handguns on campus starting Aug. 1.
Jennifer Lynn Glass, Mia Carter and Lisa Moore filed the lawsuit Monday in federal court. They've named Attorney General Ken Paxton, UT-Austin President Greg Fenves and the nine members of the UT System Board of Regents as defendants. They noted that the law takes effect on the 50th anniversary... (GunPolicy.org)
The Deadly Mix of Guns and Domestic Violence
1 July 2016
New York Times, Editorial
It's a good thing Congress passed a law in 1996 barring people convicted of domestic violence from buying or owning guns. Today, despite horrifyingly frequent mass shootings and yearly gun deaths topping 30,000, lawmakers, nearly all of them Republican, stand in lock-step formation against even modest gun-control efforts — like preventing people suspected of terrorist ties from easily buying firearms.
Twenty years ago, in a somewhat less warped political universe,... (GunPolicy.org)
California Lawmakers Pass Raft of Gun Control Bills
30 June 2016
Los Angeles Times
Spurred by outrage over recent mass shootings, California lawmakers on Thursday sent Gov. Jerry Brown a sweeping package of gun control bills, including a ban on the sale of semi-automatic rifles with detachable magazines, background checks for those buying ammunition and new restrictions on homemade firearms.
The flood of bills was introduced in response to the December terrorist attack in San Bernardino that killed 14 people at a holiday party, but momentum for... (GunPolicy.org)
US Supreme Court Hears 'Pro-gun' Argument in Abortion Case
28 June 2016
Weekly Standard (USA)
Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer used logic frequently employed by pro-gun advocates to help justify his majority opinion in the Texas abortion clinic case decided Monday.
As John McCormack reported, the Court struck down a Texas statute that compelled, in part, abortion clinics to upgrade their facilities to match the standards of surgical centers. Such a requirement calls to mind the story of Philadelphia abortionist Kermit Gosnell, who operated a squalid... (GunPolicy.org)
Failure to Pass Another US Gun Law Shows 'Broken System'
28 June 2016
MSNBC News (USA)
A bipartisan group of senators recently endorsed a bill to limit suspected terrorists from buying guns. "I hope we can pass this," Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) told reporters seven days ago. "Let's put it this way: If we can't pass this, it truly is a broken system."
A week later, it's getting easier to say it really is a broken system.
Last week, Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) presented a compromise bill, which would make it "illegal for anyone on the federal "no-fly... (GunPolicy.org)
US Supreme Court Toughens Gun Ban for Domestic Violence
27 June 2016
New York Times
WASHINGTON — The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday expanded the types of domestic violence convictions that can trigger the loss of gun ownership rights in a ruling issued amid fierce debate about reducing firearms violence in America.
The justices, in a 6-2 ruling, rejected arguments that a gun-ownership prohibition should apply only to knowing or intentional, rather than reckless, conduct.
In dispute was a U.S. law passed two decades ago preventing people convicted of... (GunPolicy.org)
US Firearm Owners Defend Right to Use AR-15 Style Guns
27 June 2016
Seattle Post-Intelligencer
Karen Butler still remembers the first time she picked up an AR-15-style rifle a decade ago.
"Quite honestly, I was scared of it," she recalls.
But as soon as she fired it, she became a fan.
"You know some of these people that are fearful, it's just because they don't have knowledge," she said. "We call it furniture — it's got all the accessories on it that make it look a little intimidating. But once you shoot it you realize it's so much fun."
Butler, of... (GunPolicy.org)
US Terrorist Watchlists Demonstrate Gun Control, Other Flaws
23 June 2016
Time (USA)
In the wake of the Senate's defeat of gun control legislation earlier this week, many Democrats are savoring the opportunity to bash Republicans for blocking efforts to deny guns to "suspected terrorists." With polls showing that 90% of Americans favor such restrictions, the defeat is a propaganda coup: a chance to convince Americans that Republicans will obstruct gun control restrictions even when those restrictions appear to be no-brainers. Meanwhile Republicans, who... (GunPolicy.org)
Drastic Drops in Australia Gun Deaths After New Regulations
23 June 2016
RT-TV Novosti (Russia)
Gun control legislation introduced by Australia 20 years ago has not only stopped mass shootings from happening, but also led to a fall in gun-related fatalities, a new study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association shows.
Rapid fire weapons were banned in Australia in 1996 following a mass shooting, which killed 35 people. A year later, the government introduced a buy-back scheme. Over the next few years, over 700,000 semi-automatic weapons, pump... (GunPolicy.org)
Report Finds Australian Gun Deaths Slashed Since 1996
23 June 2016
9news (Australia), Australian Associated Press
Australian firearm deaths have fallen rapidly in the past two decades, and not a single mass shooting has occurred since the Port Arthur massacre, according to a new study.
There were 104 people killed and at least 52 wounded in 13 Australian mass shootings between 1979 and 1996, the study reports.
Its authors, including University of Sydney Emeritus Professor Simon Chapman, found not a single mass shooting death in the ensuing 20 years (defined as involving five or... (GunPolicy.org)
No Mass Shootings in Australia for 20 Years - LA Times
22 June 2016
Los Angeles Times
Gun-control advocates in the U.S. often point to Australia as proof that Americans would be safer with a ban on semiautomatic weapons. In the land down under, there has been a total of zero mass shootings since rapid-fire guns were outlawed in the 1990s.
But a new analysis of crime in Australia stops short of giving gun-control laws the credit for this remarkable run. The reason: Although homicides involving guns have declined over the past 20 years, homicides... (GunPolicy.org)
Mass Shootings in Australia Ceased After Gun Laws Tightened
22 June 2016
Wall Street Journal
The changes were also associated with an accelerated reduction in total firearm-related deaths from homicide and suicide, according to the study, published online Wednesday in JAMA, the Journal of the American Medical Association.
Mass shootings like the one in Orlando, Fla., have come to a halt in Australia in the two decades since the country adopted sweeping changes to its gun laws, researchers reported in a new study.
The changes were also associated with an... (GunPolicy.org)
Why Banning Assault-Weapons Could Reduce Mass Shootings in the US
22 June 2016
New York Mag
The American conversation about mass shootings is excruciating and circular because there is no possible universe in which our lawmakers will tighten gun control in a meaningful way anytime soon. Among advocates for stronger restrictions on who can buy guns — or at least the most deadly ones — the best hope, for now, is to simply keep building the case and amping up the pressure, in the hopes that some sort of tipping point will eventually be reached.
One way to do... (GunPolicy.org)
Mass Shootings in Australia Down to Zero After Gun Law Reforms
22 June 2016
USA Today
WASHINGTON — Major gun law reforms in Australia enacted 20 years ago have eliminated fatal mass shootings there, according to a study published Wednesday in the Journal of the American Medical Association.
Before Australia enacted the reform, it had 13 mass shootings in the span of 17 years.
The study, conducted by three Australian university researchers, was released two days after the Senate rejected four measures that would increased background checks for... (GunPolicy.org)
Australia Took Action to Prevent Gun Deaths. What Happened?
22 June 2016
Washington Post
In the wake of the deadliest mass shooting in U.S. history, the Senate failed to pass four bills to shore up background checks, despite public support for the measures hovering around 90 percent. The status quo is deeply unpopular, but it remains the law.
The American mass shooting experience, which tends to follow a predictable cycle of tragedy -> outrage -> finger-pointing -> inaction, stands in sharp contrast to what happened in Australia in 1996. There, a horrified... (GunPolicy.org)
America's Gun Problem Is Much Bigger Than Mass Shootings
21 June 2016
Guardian
A disturbed man with an AR-15-style rifle walked through a popular historic site in 1996, shooting up the cafe and gift shop. He left 35 people dead and 19 seriously injured.
The country's conservative leader pushed through immediate, sweeping changes to gun laws. Chief among them was a ban and mandatory buyback of more than 600,000 semiautomatic rifles and other long guns, which were then melted down. In all, one researcher estimates, the government ultimately... (GunPolicy.org)
Seven Reasons It's So Easy to Buy a Gun In the US
20 June 2016
Teen Vogue
The monstrous shooting at Pulse, an LGBTQ nightclub in Orlando, Florida, two Sundays ago has brought America's lax gun laws back into tragic focus.
The killer, 29-year-old Omar Mateen, used a 9mm Glock 17 and a Sig Sauer MCX assault rifle that he purchased legally — despite investigations in 2013 and 2014 by the Federal Bureau of Investigations for his potential ties to terrorism.
The U.S. has the highest rate of gun ownership in the world, according to data... (GunPolicy.org)
Pink Pistols, the Pro-gun Group Arming Gay America
19 June 2016
Telegraph (UK)
Karen McCloud and her girlfriend fired round after round, the bullets hitting the human shaped silhouette down range in the head and chest.
A former soldier, Ms McCloud was a straight shot. Her hands steady, her breathing calm, she squeezed the trigger of her 9mm handgun, the hot casings falling to the floor.
"Bad people have guns, and the only people who can stop them are the good people with guns," she said, reloading her weapon. "And that's exactly what went wrong... (GunPolicy.org)
Shooting Death of MP Surprises UK With Its Strict Gun Laws
16 June 2016
Washington Post
Four days after the horrific mass shooting in Orlando sparked a fresh debate about gun control in the United States, a fatal attack on a politician in Britain is bringing attention to that country's gun control policies.
Jo Cox, a member of the British Parliament for the center-left Labour Party, was shot and stabbed while meeting with constituents near the northern city of Leeds on Thursday. According to police, the 41-year-old has died of her injuries.
Any physical... (GunPolicy.org)
Germany Has 'Some of the Strictest Gun Laws in Europe'
16 June 2016
Local (Germany)
1. Germany has some of the strictest gun laws in Europe
The US Library of Congress defines the German gun control system as "one of the most stringent in Europe".
And professor Christian Pfeiffer of Criminology Research Institute of Lower Saxony also told The Local that Germany's laws were some of the toughest worldwide.
Germans do not have fundamental rights to bear arms, unlike Americans do under the Second Amendment, and the country's violent past including the... (GunPolicy.org)
Gun Lobby, Gun Safety Group Head to Head in Sydney Debate
16 June 2016
9News (Australia), Australian Associated Press
Emotion must be stripped away from public debate around Australian gun controls, a national policing summit has heard.
Samara McPhedran, a Griffith University senior researcher and chair of Women in Shooting and Hunting (WiSH), says emotions have muddied the crafting of firearm regulations.
"Unfortunately, many decisions in this area seem driven by emotion rather than informed debate," Dr McPhedran told police forces and counter-terror experts in Sydney on... (GunPolicy.org)
Hidden Handgun Ban Lifted in Haiti [FR]
15 June 2016
Vant Bef Info (Haiti)
[Translated summary: Haiti's Ministry of Justice and Public Security has lifted the measure suspending all permits to carry firearms.]
Près de 5 jours après avoir suspendu tous les permis de port d'armes sur toute l'étendue du territoire, le ministère de la justice et de la sécurité publique (MJSP) est revenu sur sa décision, a appris Vant Bèf Info.
En effet, suite à une réunion du Conseil supérieur de la Police Nationale (CSPN), tenue ce 15 juin 2016,... (GunPolicy.org)
Gun Control and the Effect of the US 2nd Amendment
15 June 2016
The Conversation
The Second Amendment to the Constitution is a touchstone for the many people who identify with American society's enduring affinity for firearms. And every time there is an atrocity, such as the mass shooting in Orlando, debate inevitably settles on how this part of the Constitution effectively prevents the adoption of workable gun control measures.
But ironically, the Amendment played almost no substantial part in legal or constitutional jurisprudence involving gun... (GunPolicy.org)
Gun Control Getting a Fresh Look From Trump, US Republicans?
15 June 2016
Washington Post
Presumptive Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump and some vulnerable GOP lawmakers signaled Wednesday that they are open to changing the nation's gun laws, raising the possibility that the political tide might be shifting on an issue that has sharply divided Americans for years.
This isn't the first time a mass shooting, in this case the massacre in Orlando that killed 49 people this week, has sparked a national cry for congressional action on gun availability.... (GunPolicy.org)
US Debate: Would an Assault Weapon Ban Make a Difference?
13 June 2016
Guardian
In preparation for what would become the deadliest mass shooting in American history, Omar Mateen bought an .223 caliber AR-15-style assault rifle and a 9mm semiautomatic pistol, law enforcement officials said.
The shooters in December's San Bernardino terror attack also used AR-15-style rifles. So did the shooters in the 2012 attacks at a movie theater in Aurora, Colorado, and an elementary school in Newtown, Connecticut.
Critics call AR-15-style rifles the weapon of... (GunPolicy.org)
US Gun Lobby Calls Orlando Assault Weapon 'America's Rifle'
13 June 2016
New York Times
In recent years, the AR-15 has become, simultaneously, one of most beloved and most vilified rifles in the country.
It is no surprise why the gun is so reviled by gun control advocates. Omar Mateen, the gunman in the attack this weekend on a gay nightclub in Orlando, Fla., used a spinoff of the rifle produced by SIG Sauer to kill nearly 50 people.
The military-style weapon has also been the gun of choice in several other mass shootings: at an elementary school in... (GunPolicy.org)
Assault Rifle the Weapon of Choice in US Mass Shootings
13 June 2016
Malay Mail (Kuala Lumpur)
WASHINGTON — When Omar Mateen entered an Orlando, Florida, nightclub yesterday to carry out the deadliest mass shooting in US history, he wielded a weapon that has been used in massacres from California to Connecticut: a military-inspired semi-automatic rifle.
Though so-called assault rifles account for a small fraction of the United States' 30,000 annual gun deaths, they have been used in at least 10 mass shootings since 2011, according to a database compiled by... (GunPolicy.org)
Another Rapid-Fire Shotgun Brings Gun Control Call in Australia
13 June 2016
Guardian, Australian Associated Press
A new rapid-fire shotgun has hit the Australian market, prompting fresh calls from gun control advocates for the nation's firearms laws to be tightened.
As federal and state law enforcement officials prepare to meet in Sydney this week to discuss firearm regulation, the Pardus LAX is being billed as "the new entrant" in the lever action market. More than 7,000 Adler rapid-fire shotguns have been sold in Australia in just six months.
A 12-month ban on a version of the... (GunPolicy.org)
Europe Votes to Restrict Availability of Semi-Automatic Rifles
10 June 2016
EUObserver (Belgium)
EU interior ministers agreed on Friday (10 June) to tighten gun control rules in the aftermath of the Paris and Brussels terror attacks.
The proposal, which still needs to be ratified by the European Parliament, includes an EU-wide regime on deactivated firearms.
Deactivated arms can be restored for use by criminals, but some member states had said the new requirements would harm collectors and hunters.
The new rules aim to make it easier to track down illegal guns... (GunPolicy.org)
Europe Mulls Stricter Gun Control Following Terror Attacks
10 June 2016
Daily Caller
The European Union's interior minister agreed to stricter gun controls Friday in response to the recent wave of terror attacks in France and Belgium.
The deal adds weapons to the list of banned items that civilians can purchase. It was originally meant to be enforced on all, but will leave room for recreational shooters and collectors.
The European Commission proposed measures to the EU's firearms legislation days after the Nov. 13 terror attacks in Paris. The... (GunPolicy.org)
Philippine Gun Ban: 4,661 Arrested, 3,828 Firearms Seized
10 June 2016
CNN Philippines
The five-month long election gun ban has drawn to a close Wednesday midnight with 4,661 individuals arrested for violation.
According to the Philippine National Police (PNP) on Thursday, most of those arrested had been civilians, numbering 4,460.
However, topping the list were uniformed personnel like security guards (58), followed by government/elected officials (37) and members of the PNP (36) and the military (21).
The ban, which began on January 10, netted a... (GunPolicy.org)
No 'Right' to Carry Hidden Handgun - US Federal Court Ruling
9 June 2016
Los Angeles Times
A federal appeals court ruling that gave gun control advocates a major victory Thursday underscored California's rising importance as a center of legal and political battles over guns.
The U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals decided in a 7-4 ruling that California counties may restrict permits for carrying concealed firearms in public. That decision overturned a 2014 ruling that prompted some California counties to relax their rules.
"It should not be minimized how big... (GunPolicy.org)
North Korea,Iran,United Kingdom,Switzerland,Germany,Saudi Arabia,United Arab Emirates,United States,Italy
Switzerland Loses Top Slot in Gun Trade Transparency Ranking
7 June 2016
SwissInfo
For the first time since 2007, Switzerland gave up the top spot in the Small Arms Survey's latest evaluation of the most transparent small arms exporters.
"Its lower score in comparison with previous years reflects less complete reporting to United Nations Comtrade [UN Commodity Trade Statistics Database] and a lack of information on licence denials," the authors said in the 2016 bulletin published on Monday.
Iran, North Korea, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab... (GunPolicy.org)
Gun Ownership Among Myanmar's Chin Minority
31 May 2016
Frontier Myanmar
…Most people in Myanmar are forbidden to own guns, but the former military regime made an exception for Chin, where periods of food scarcity remain a common threat and hunting has offered a safety net.
But guns have become increasingly useless for those trying to feed their families. Outside of the state's protected areas, wild game was a rare sight, said U Ngwe Lwin, a conservationist with environmental group Fauna and Flora International.
"Hunters' lives are... (GunPolicy.org)
Ecuador Law Brings 42% Decrease in Crime Gun Use [ES]
26 May 2016
Ecuador Inmediato
[Translated summary: 2016 is the first year in Ecuador in which most of the violent deaths weren't committed with a firearm, due to the ban on the carry and the restricted ownership, as well as the police controls. 1,279 firearms were seized in the first trimester of 2016.]
En el primer trimestre del 2016 se decomisaron 1.279 objetos de este tipo 2016 es el primer año en el que la mayoría de muertes violentas no han sido perpetradas con armas de fuego. José Serrano,... (GunPolicy.org)
U.N. Security Council Ends More Than a Decade of Sanctions, Arms Embargo on Liberia
25 May 2016
Reuters
The United Nations Security Council voted on Wednesday to end sanctions and an arms embargo on Liberia, citing the West African country's successful stabilization more than a decade after a 14-year civil war that killed nearly 250,000 people.
The unanimously adopted resolution by the 15-nation council welcomed "the sustained progress made by the government of Liberia in rebuilding Liberia for the benefit of all Liberians."
U.S. Deputy Ambassador to the United Nations... (GunPolicy.org)
Neo-Nazi Gunman Kills 2, Injures 11 at Austrian Rock Concert
24 May 2016
Local (Austria), Central European News
The gunman who opened fire with a Kalashnikov at a rock concert leaving three people including the attacker dead and 11 hospitalised was a skinhead member of extremist neo-Nazi group "Blood and Honour".
The far-right have been gaining in popularity in Austria after mass immigration and the country almost voted in a far-right president Norbert Hofer who was only narrowly defeated in yesterday's election.
Police have released further details yesterday of the killings... (GunPolicy.org)
Canada Authorises Assault Rifles Banned by RCMP [FR]
18 May 2016
Huffington Post (Canada)
[Translated summary: In 2014, the RCMP banned certain types of semi-automatic guns, judging them easy to transform into automatic rifles. Now Ottawa has invalidated this measure, using a new law that allows the government to go beyond police decisions.]
Quelques jours avant de déclencher les élections, le gouvernement Harper a infirmé la décision de la GRC de prohiber certains types d'armes semi-automatiques, comme la carabine CZ-858 utilisée par Richard Henry... (GunPolicy.org)
Renew Your Firearm Licence, Urges Gun Lobby in Philippines
15 May 2016
Manila Bulletin
Owners of guns with expired licenses have been urged to renew their licenses at the Philippine National Police (PNP) Firearms and Explosive Office (FEO) in Camp Crame which has been on-going despite the current gun ban.
The call was issued by the Association of Firearms and Ammunition Dealers of the Philippines, Inc. (AFAD) in a bid to encourage delinquent gun owners to renew their licenses.
In a statement sent to Quezon City reporters, Hector Rodriguez, AFAD... (GunPolicy.org)
Vietnam Would Welcome U.S. Lifting Its Gun Sales Embargo
12 May 2016
Daily Mail (UK), Reuters
HANOI -- Vietnam would welcome the United States "accelerating" the lifting of a lethal arms embargo, which would reflect trust between the two countries and recognition of its needs to defend itself, its foreign ministry said on Thursday.
Vietnam's comments on a topic that has long been a source of friction with the United States comes just over a week ahead of a visit by President Barack Obama, and amid debate in Washington over whether to remove the ban, which was... (GunPolicy.org)
Police Seize 348 Illegal Guns in Philippines Election Run-Up
4 May 2016
Sun Star Zamboanga
The Police Regional Office (PRO)-Zamboanga Peninsula has confiscated 348 illegal firearms, 21 grenades and 2,286 rounds of ammunitions in the past three months.
PRO-Zamboanga Peninsula director Miguel Antonio Jr. said they confiscated the said items because of their strict implementation of the election gun ban and "One Time Big Time" operations from January 10 until April 30, this year.
"One Time Big Time" is Philippine National Police's anti-criminality campaign... (GunPolicy.org)
Inside Secret Group For Gun Owners Banned From Facebook
3 May 2016
Forbes (USA)
He's been called "a good guy working for us behind enemy lines," "one of our allies," "a man who gives us hope," and, "the ultimate badass."
His name is Chuck Rossi, and he's a director of engineering at Facebook. He's also one of the company's most prominent gun enthusiasts, who, by his own account, has trained hundreds of fellow employees to shoot pistols. More recently, Rossi has taken on a new, unofficial, role: advocate for gun groups on Facebook.
For months,... (GunPolicy.org)
UK War Veteran Jailed Over Huge Stash of Illegal Weapons
30 April 2016
Daily Mail (UK)
A pensioner has been jailed for possessing a 'terrifying arsenal' of illegal weapons at his home in Greater Manchester - including guns, shells and a missile.
RAF veteran Harry Jones was secretary of the Tameside Gun Club for nearly 40 years and was a trusted authority on weaponry.
But his obsession with firearms led to him amassing the huge stash of weapons, including nine handguns and an Al Capone-style Tommy gun kept in a violin case - all in full working... (GunPolicy.org)
Obama Puts His Weight Behind Smart-Gun Technology
29 April 2016
New York Times
WASHINGTON — President Obama will use the power of his office to try to jump-start long-stalled "smart-gun" technology that could eventually allow only the owner of a firearm to use it, the White House announced Friday.
Over the opposition of gun rights groups, he also vowed to push ahead with a new federal policy giving the F.B.I. access to more mental health records of some Social Security recipients to better flag people who might be banned from buying a gun.
The... (GunPolicy.org)
Tanzania: Guns to Be Given Back to Owners
29 April 2016
Tanzania Daily News
DODOMA — Firearms that were impounded during anti-poaching campaign dubbed as "operation tokomeza" would be returned after verification of their genuineness and legal ownership, the Prime Minister, Mr Kassim Majaliwa, told the National Assembly here yesterday.
He said that the police force was still going on with the verification exercise to identify a number of things, including genuineness; legal ownership and whether such arms were free from any involvement in... (GunPolicy.org)
Australia's National Gun Laws Have Weakened - Opinion
28 April 2016
Sydney Morning Herald, Opinion
Twenty years ago, a lone gun man armed with high-powered gun opened fire at the historic site of Port Arthur in Tasmania, killing 35 people, wounding 18 others and traumatising so many more.
In response to this massacre Australia introduced strong national uniform gun laws. It was an event that not only radically shaped Australia's gun laws, but our cultural landscape. Australia is now known as the country that heroically stood up for public safety by making gun... (GunPolicy.org)
Australian Gun Laws Should Be Strengthened - SMH Editorial
28 April 2016
Sydney Morning Herald, Editorial
Port Arthur. Those two words still haunt the survivors, the families of victims and all who remember the tragic events of April 28, 1996.
Yet 20 years on, a new generation is hearing, perhaps for the first time, the terror of the Port Arthur massacre.
How what psychiatrists called "an intellectually handicapped and personality disordered" man without a driver's licence or gun licence could drive to the Tasmanian site, and use one of the many semi-automatic weapons he... (GunPolicy.org)
Australians Now Own More Guns Than Ever Before
28 April 2016
Sydney Morning Herald
Australians now own more guns than before the 1996 Port Arthur massacre, according to new research that shows firearm imports hit a record high in 2014-15.
[Charts, tables in the original]
The surge in gun-buying over the past 16 years, which has seen 1.02 million guns brought into the country, has been largely a "gun swap", according to Philip Alpers, a University of Sydney public health researcher, gun control expert and founding director of GunPolicy.org.
"The... (GunPolicy.org)
Australia's PM Says Strict Gun Laws Are 'Non-Negotiable'
28 April 2016
Guardian
Malcolm Turnbull has defended the integrity of Australia's gun laws in Hobart ahead of a commemorative service marking the 20th anniversary of the Port Arthur massacre, saying that maintaining a strong stance on firearms was "non-negotiable".
Thirty-five people were killed in the massacre which centred around the Port Arthur former convict site on 28 April, 1996. It is the largest massacre by a lone gunman in Australia and prompted a massive overhaul of the country's... (GunPolicy.org)
Tracking Flow of US Guns Used in Crime Is Inexact Science
28 April 2016
New York Times, Associated Press
SMYRNA — Adventure Outdoors is an 80,000-square-foot store with walls lined with long guns, cases packed with handguns and aisles jammed with all the accessories an avid outdoorsman would need: coolers, clothing, ammo. At the customer service counter is a government-issued poster that warns: "Don't lie for the other guy."
Store founder Jay Wallace said his staff is diligent about making sure buyers are legitimate and not fronting for someone who is legally prohibited... (GunPolicy.org)
Australian Gun Dealer Subverts Ban on Rapid-fire Shotgun
28 April 2016
ABC News (Australia)
An Adelaide gunsmith has attracted controversy after his decision to legally modify a shotgun to match the ammunition load of a higher capacity version which was banned from importation last year.
Importation of the eight-shot Adler lever action shotgun was suspended for 12 months in July because it could fire up to eight shells before needing to be reloaded.
Nik Halliwell runs a gun modification workshop in the Adelaide suburbs and is one of the few people in... (GunPolicy.org)
Australia Vulnerable as States Flout 1996 Gun Control Accord
28 April 2016
Australian (Sydney)
Australia is again vulnerable to mass shootings because of a failure to fully enforce the 1996 national firearms agreement, say gun control advocates.
As the nation prepares today to commemorate 20 years since its worst modern mass shooting, Gun Control Australia and those who lost loved ones in the attack, are gearing up for a renewed fight to restore the spirit and intent of the 1996 National Firearms Agreement.
Gun Control Australia vice-president Roland Browne... (GunPolicy.org)
Australian Advocates Ask for Tighter Regulation of Firearms
27 April 2016
Sydney Morning Herald
Gun control advocates have called for tighter regulation of firearms on the eve of the 20th anniversary of the Port Arthur massacre, saying that landmark gun control measures passed in its wake have since been eroded.
"We don't want laws regressing but that is what I see in NSW and that is why my sister was able to access a firearm," said Michelle Fernando at NSW Parliament on Wednesday.
Ms Fernando's father, Vincent, was shot dead six years ago after his daughter -... (GunPolicy.org)
Australia Gun Owners Buy More Than Before
27 April 2016
The Conversation
The proud claim that Australia may have "solved the gun problem" might only be a temporary illusion. In recent years, arms dealers have imported more guns than ever before. And last year we crossed a symbolic threshold: for the first time in 20 years, Australia's national arsenal of private guns is larger than it was before the Port Arthur massacre.
This increase must be seen in context. Australia's population grew by five million in the same period, so per-capita... (GunPolicy.org)
Gun Control Laws Changed Australia, says PM John Howard
26 April 2016
Sydney Morning Herald
Just six weeks into the job, Prime Minister John Howard was pottering at Kirribilli House when he received a call from his press secretary, Tony O'Leary, alerting him to the tragedy unfolding at Port Arthur.
"I turned on the television and within minutes others from my office and the Federal police Commissioner rang me to explain what was happening," Mr Howard recalled this week, on the eve of that fateful day on April 28,1996.
Thirty-five people, mostly tourists... (GunPolicy.org)
European Union Mulls Changes to Gun Control Laws [FR]
20 April 2016
Europarl
[Translated summary: European Union MEPs debated amendments to a proposal to the European Commission regarding the EU Directive on Firearms. During the debate, they discussed arms classification, marking and tracing of firearms, licensing, storage, as well as online sales.]
Les amendements déposés par la députée en charge du dossier à la proposition de la Commission européenne sur la révision de la directive de l'UE concernant les armes à feu ont été... (GunPolicy.org)
Nigerian Herdsmen Banned from Carrying Guns
20 April 2016
This Day (Lagos)
MINNA — The Niger State Police Command has waged a fresh war against Fulani herdsmen in a bid to check kidnapping and cattle rustling.
The police have therefore outlawed the carrying of arms and ammunition by the herdsmen under any guise.
The decision of the police to ban the carrying of arms by the herdsmen followed an increase in the number of firearms recovered from the pastoralists in the last six months.
The state police spokesman, Bala Elikana, told... (GunPolicy.org)
More Stringent Requirements for California Gun Dealers
19 April 2016
Breitbart News (USA)
On April 19, a bill that could literally ban all Federal Firearm License holders (FFLs) from doing business in the state of California goes before the State Assembly Committee on Privacy and Consumer Protection.
The bill – Assembly Bill 2459 – is sponsored by Assembly Member Kevin McCarty (D-Sacramento). If passed, it would shackle FFLs with four new requirements, the totality of which could simply force gun stores to close their doors.
The NRA-ILA reported the... (GunPolicy.org)
Australia Debates Gun Law Merits 20 Years After Port Arthur
18 April 2016
Financial Times (UK)
PORT ARTHUR -- The shell of the Broad Arrow Cafe is seen behind the cross bearing the names of those who lost their lives in the Memorial Garden in the Port Arthur Historical Site on April 18, 2016 in Port Arthur, Australia. The historic town became infamous on April 28, 1996 when Martin Bryant began shooting indiscriminately with a high-powered rifle on people visiting the site. 35 people were killed and a further 23 were injured in what remains the world's worst... (GunPolicy.org)
Panama Gun Owners Say Import Ban Incites Smuggling [ES]
18 April 2016
Telemetro (Panama)
[Translated summary: The Panama Firearm Owners Association claims that the current firearm import ban encourages smuggling. They say that after five years of the ban, illegal firearms are still being seized in the streets, even military weapons.]
A dos meses para que culmine la prórroga que ordenó el Ministerio de Seguridad para la suspensión de importación de armas de fuego, la Asociación de Propietarios expresó este lunes, una vez más su malestar por esta... (GunPolicy.org)
Lawsuit by Newtown Families Could End US Gun Sales
16 April 2016
Detroit News, Opinion
Perhaps the biggest threat ever to the Second Amendment is working its way through the state courts in Connecticut.
A judge there is allowing a wrongful death lawsuit to proceed against Remington Arms Co., which made one of the weapons used by Adam Lanza to kill 26 children and staffers at the Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown.
The lawsuit, filed by nine victim families, claims Remington is liable for making and selling to the public a rifle unfit for civilian... (GunPolicy.org)
Australian Gun Dealers Modify Shotgun to Get Around Ban
15 April 2016
SBS (Australia), Australian Associated Press
Gun dealers are converting the controversial Adler rapid-fire shotgun so it can shoot twice as many rounds, sidestepping an import ban on a previous version of the weapon.
Plans to import the seven-shot lever-action shotgun were halted last July when it was banned by former prime minister Tony Abbott for six months, later extended to 12 months, only for a modified version that instead fires five shots in rapid succession to be introduced.
It has now emerged gun... (GunPolicy.org)
Australia Considers Tightening National Firearms Agreement
14 April 2016
Herald Sun (Melbourne)
Right now, the government is considering what changes, if any, it should make to the National Firearms Agreement 1996, the landmark legislation enacted 20 years ago in the wake of the Port Arthur massacre.
Days after gunman Martin Bryant used two high-powered semi-automatic weapons to slaughter 35 people and injure 23 more at the Port Arthur historic site in Tasmania, then prime minister John Howard moved to strip the most dangerous weapons out of Australian... (GunPolicy.org)
Australians Use Same 'Good Reason' to Buy 100s of Guns
13 April 2016
SBS (Australia)
How many guns is too many guns?
It's not just an academic question. In NSW, the extent of gun ownership tells us something about how the gun laws are working – and where they are failing us.
Let's get this straight. Australia has for the most part the kind of gun laws that are the envy of the rest of the world. The law classifies weapons into categories so that more dangerous weapons are prohibited from use or restricted to certain kinds of license, for the most... (GunPolicy.org)
Gun Dealers Work Around Rapid-fire Shotgun Ban in Australia
13 April 2016
Sky News (Australia), Australian Associated Press
The Australian Greens have called on the Turnbull government to do more to uphold the spirit of post-Port Arthur gun laws after it emerged firearms dealers are using a loophole to modify a controversial rapid-fire shotgun so it can shoot more rounds.
Plans to import the Adler A110 lever-action shotgun, which has a magazine capacity of seven rounds, were halted last July when it was banned by former prime minister Tony Abbott for six months, later extended until August... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Sky News (Australia), Australian Associated Press
One Gun a Day Stolen in South Australia, Going to Crims
11 April 2016
Advertiser (Adelaide)
More than one gun a day is lost or stolen in SA, prompting calls for a crackdown on "irresponsible" owners amid fears the weapons are falling into criminal hands.
As the nation prepares to mark the 20th anniversary of the Port Arthur massacre later this month, The Advertiser can reveal that 2294 guns have been reported as missing in the past four years
They include pump-action shotguns, semiautomatic pistols and assault rifles.
Police said "criminals value firearms... (GunPolicy.org)
Australia: Gun Laws May Weaken on Massacre Anniversary
11 April 2016
9 News (Australia)
A Port Arthur massacre survivor is urging the federal government to maintain restrictions on the controversial Adler A110 shotgun as the expiry date for a temporary ban on the weapon's sale looms.
Twenty years since the 1996 massacre, which saw gunman Martin Bryant kill 35 people and injure 23, Australia's strict gun control laws could soon be weakened if a review of a fast action-lever shotgun is not finalised.
Carolyn Loughton, who lost her 15-year-old daughter... (GunPolicy.org)
How Belgium Legislates for Gun Control [FR]
10 April 2016
RTBF (Belgium)
[Translated summary: In 2006, Belgium tightened its legislation on firearm possession by creating three categories of firearms: A for 'prohibited firearms', B for 'firearms available over the counter', C for 'firearms subject to authorisation'. In 2013, the government prohibited the over-the-counter selling of antique, folk and decorative firearms.]
Ce week-end, aux États-Unis, le "National Rifle Association", l'association qui a pour but de promouvoir les armes à... (GunPolicy.org)
Gun Massacre Dad Warns Australia Not to Relax Gun Laws
10 April 2016
Sydney Morning Herald
Following the Port Arthur massacre, Walter Mikac wanted to be left alone.
Instead he found himself inadvertently drawn into Australia's gun control debate.
The massacre, which happened 20 years ago on April 28 and 29, began an unstoppable movement for gun law reform.
Since losing his wife and two daughters in the mass shooting, Mikac has become one of the debate's most potent voices.
After the killings Mikac wrote to Prime Minister John Howard, who phoned in... (GunPolicy.org)
Proposed #California Gun, Ammo Control Law 'Won't Help'
8 April 2016
Los Angeles Times, Opinion
What if we passed a law knowing that even usually law-abiding people wouldn't comply with it? This fall, California voters may do just that if they approve Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom's Safety for All gun reform initiative. The result could be a small enhancement in public safety, and a potentially significant increase in disrespect for the law.
The Safety for All ballot measure has two main provisions: a requirement that purchasers of ammunition undergo a background check,... (GunPolicy.org)
Australian Campaign Aims to Curb Flood of Rapid-fire Shotguns
7 April 2016
Herald Sun (Melbourne)
A flood of new rapid-fire shotguns into Australia has prompted a landmark petition to ban the semi-automatic-style weapons.
Gun control experts fear the proliferation of the Adler A110 model due to loopholes will have deadly consequences, with more than 600 registered in Victoria since September.
The Alannah and Madeline Foundation is launching the petition, almost 20 years on from the Port Arthur massacre, which saw 35 people shot dead.
Its "Keep Australia safe from... (GunPolicy.org)
Clinton Slams Sanders With Sandy Hook Gun Massacre
7 April 2016
Tampa Tribune (Florida), Associated Press
PHILADELPHIA -- Armed with a blistering tabloid cover, Hillary Clinton is pitting Bernie Sanders against the parents of children murdered in Sandy Hook, part of an effort to punch her way into the critical New York primary.
The inflammatory rhetoric underscores the importance of the April 19 New York contest to her campaign and the mounting frustration of Clinton and her husband, former President Bill Clinton, with the lingering primary battle.
That irritation spilled... (GunPolicy.org)
Asia,United States,Africa,Libya,Yemen,Iraq,Syria
Middle East: Militias Use Facebook Groups to Sell Weapons
6 April 2016
New York Times
A terrorist hoping to buy an antiaircraft weapon in recent years needed to look no further than Facebook, which has been hosting sprawling online arms bazaars, offering weapons ranging from handguns and grenades to heavy machine guns and guided missiles.
The Facebook posts suggest evidence of large-scale efforts to sell military weapons coveted by terrorists and militants. The weapons include many distributed by the United States to security forces and their proxies in... (GunPolicy.org)
US Gun Law Loopholes Raise Fatal Domestic Abuse Risk
4 April 2016
Refinery 29 (USA)
The beginning of Jitka Vesel's story is familiar. Back in 2008, she briefly dated a man she met online. When she decided they didn't have a connection, she broke it off.
That's when Dmitry Smirnov began stalking her.
For three years, Smirnov pursued Vesel. She reported the harassment, changed her phone number, cut off contact with her stalker — even moved. In 2011, Smirnov followed Vesel to the parking lot of her workplace. He killed her, shooting her 12 times as... (GunPolicy.org)
Missouri: Bill Would Allow Concealed Guns on Campuses
1 April 2016
San Francisco Chronicle
JEFFERSON CITY, Missouri -- A House committee has passed a bill that would allow concealed guns on college campuses.
The Columbia Daily Tribune (http://bit.ly/1Y3S5Og ) reports that the House Emerging Issues Committee passed the bill with an 8-3 vote Wednesday, winning unanimous support from Republicans.
The bill, sponsored by Rep. Jered Taylor, R-Nixa, would repeal the current guns-on-campus ban and replace it with language allowing people with concealed weapon... (GunPolicy.org)
United States,Micronesia (FSM),Oceania
US Rules Pacific Island Gun Ban Violates 2nd Amendment
30 March 2016
Guardian, Agence France Presse
America's heated gun debate has reached a remote Pacific territory, with a court overturning a ban on handguns in the Northern Marianas after ruling it breached the US constitution's second amendment.
In a ruling greeted with dismay by the island territory's leaders, the US district court found the right to bear arms enshrined in the second amendment also applied to the commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI).
"The second amendment … [is] the law of the... (GunPolicy.org)
United States,Micronesia (FSM),Oceania
Pacific Islands Rush to Replace Gun Laws Trashed by US
30 March 2016
BBC News
Lawmakers in the US commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands are moving to enact "sweeping" gun control legislation, days after a court struck down its ban on handgun possession.
For decades the Pacific islands' laws have prevented handgun ownership and imposed strict regulations on other firearms. But on Monday, a US district court with jurisdiction over the territory ruled that the prohibition violates the US constitution's second amendment, which guarantees the... (GunPolicy.org)
'Allow Guns at US Republican Convention' Call Had a Twist
29 March 2016
Trace (USA)
In a presidential campaign season where "gun-free zones" have been a favorite target for Republican candidates, a Change.org petition sought to push conservatives on how dearly they hold their Second Amendment principles. The letter called for the Republican Party to allow the open carry of firearms at its nominating convention this July, which will be held in Cleveland's Quicken Loans Arena. The arena bans all weapons, which the petition argued put "all attendees at... (GunPolicy.org)
Governor Vetoes Bill to Allow Guns in Virginia State Offices
24 March 2016
San Francisco Chronicle, Associated Press
RICHMOND, Virginia -- Gov. Terry McAuliffe has vetoed a bill that seeks to undo his executive order that banned guns in state offices.
The Democrat also nixed a bill that would prevent most government agencies from prohibiting their employees from keeping firearms in their vehicles. State workers are currently barred from possessing a weapon not required for their job when they are on state premises or conducting state business.
McAuliffe and Republican lawmakers... (GunPolicy.org)
Police, UK City Ban 18 Men for Links to 'Gun or Gang Crime'
23 March 2016
BBC News
The names of 18 men banned from parts of Birmingham for what police say are their links to "gun or gang crime" can be revealed by the BBC.
Interim injunctions were obtained by West Midlands Police, but the force had declined to reveal the men's identities until permanent orders were granted.
However, details were revealed in County Court documents seen by the BBC.
Labour MP Khalid Mahmood criticised police using civil action to tackle gun crime rather than criminal... (GunPolicy.org)
EU Parliament Skeptical of Semi-auto, Deactivated Gun Ban
21 March 2016
EurActiv
A general ban on semi-automatic weapons, strong regulation of blank-firing guns, stricter rules for museums and collectors, and a closer exchange of information between security authorities are some of the proposals contained in a new package of measures drawn up by the Commission last November and which is currently making its way through the gauntlet that is the European Parliament.
But many MEPs think that the draft is too ambitious and that the interests of... (GunPolicy.org)
Gun Ban Upped Australia Gun Crime 'Red Herring Argument'
17 March 2016
International Business Times (USA)
It's been almost 20 years to the day since the Port Arthur massacre, which changed Australian gun laws completely. But two decades on and former Prime Minister John Howard, who helped put the National Firearms Agreement into place, continues to be questioned about whether Australia's ban on guns has benefited the country.
In an interview with US broadcaster CBS' Sunday Morning TV program, Howard was asked to comment on the current state of firearm laws in the US and... (GunPolicy.org)
United States,United Kingdom,Japan,Australia
So, America, This Is How Other Countries Do Gun Control
14 March 2016
Guardian
Thirty people will be shot dead in America today. On average. It could be more. If it's less, then more will die tomorrow. Or the next day.
The United States's gun homicide rate is 25 times higher than other high-income countries, according to a recent study.
Americans are divided on whether the country's gun deaths could be reduced through tougher laws on gun ownership. Liberals argue that legal restrictions on gun ownership could save lives. Conservatives say that... (GunPolicy.org)
How Australia Made Gun Control Happen After Port Arthur
14 March 2016
Guardian
On Sunday 28 April 1996 a security guard, Ian Kingston, stood in the doorway of the Broad Arrow cafe at the historic site of Port Arthur in southern Tasmania. He stared at the body of a man lying on the floor, then looked up into the barrel of a semi-automatic rifle. He dived back out the door as Martin Bryant pulled the trigger. Bryant killed 12 people in 15 seconds.
On the gravel path outside the cafe Kingston tried to herd people who thought the gunshots were part... (GunPolicy.org)
UK Gun Control: Good Came from the Evil of Dunblane
13 March 2016
Guardian, Editorial
It is 20 years since Thomas Hamilton walked into Dunblane primary school carrying four handguns and murdered 17 people, 16 of them children only five years old. The response to this atrocity, from the heart of the British people, was two laws which between them banned the private ownership of handguns altogether. The year after Dunblane there were 59 killings with handguns in Britain; in 2014 there were only 29. Compare this with the situation in America, where, in... (GunPolicy.org)
Australia Dealt with Mass Shootings, Gun Death Fell 60%
13 March 2016
CBS News (USA)
In the wake of a deadly shooting rampage back in 1996, the Australian government reacted quickly and decisively to ban certain guns. So did it make a difference? Seth Doane takes a look:
"It's said that when you lose your parents, you lose your past. When you lose your child, you lose your future," said Carolyn Loughton.
She'd flung herself on top of her daughter when a gunman started shooting, but it was not enough to save Sarah's life. "She had just turned 15,"... (GunPolicy.org)
Illegal Guns Flooding Nigeria, Fuelling Violence
12 March 2016
Daily Trust (Abuja)
In the last 10 years, the number of deaths as a result of violence in different parts of Nigeria has been spiking steadily. The fifth report of the Nigeria Watch Project released early this year indicates that between June 2006 and December 2015, a total of 94,470 deaths were recorded from fatal violence across the country. The country attained the climax in terms of number of deaths recorded from violence in the last 10 years in 2014 and 2015, accounting for 24 per... (GunPolicy.org)
Guns on Facebook a Problem Even Facebook Can't Solve
10 March 2016
Forbes (USA)
An AR-15 semi-automatic rifle. Ammunition for your concealed carry handgun. Your grandfather's hunting shotgun.
Virtually any gun, gun part or accessory you can think of is being sold or traded on Facebook today, in flagrant violation of the site's new policies.
In January, Facebook announced it was banning the private sale of guns and ammunition on its site and on Instagram, which it owns. The move was applauded by gun violence prevention groups that advocate for... (GunPolicy.org)
World's Most Violent Country Registers 30 New Guns a Day
10 March 2016
InSight Crime (Bogota)
Between 2010 and 2015, Salvadorans were registering firearms at a rate of 11,000 per year. This suggests 30 new firearms were registered every day in a country where the vast majority of crimes are committed with guns. In a market that had sales of almost $2 million in 2014, four firms dominated gun imports.
The inhabitants of the world's most violent country have been spending more than $1.5 million on guns annually. Although the market's total size and the number of... (GunPolicy.org)
What's the Solution to Gun Violence in America?
8 March 2016
Atlantic (USA)
Any American with even a glancing familiarity with the news can rattle off the progression, a litany of place names transformed from cities and towns into metonyms for gun violence: San Bernardino, Colorado Springs, Umpqua, Charleston, Fort Hood, Navy Yard, Sandy Hook, Aurora …. That doesn't even take into account the thousands Americans killed by guns in single-death murders, or the roughly 21,000 who take their own lives with firearms annually.
The many shootings... (GunPolicy.org)
United States,Australia,Brazil,South Africa
Gun Control: What Works and What Doesn't
7 March 2016
Washington Post, Blog
Gun control works, but you have to be smart about it.
That's the takeaway from a major new analysis out this month in the journal Epidemiologic Reviews. Columbia University's Julian Santaella-Tenorio and a team of researchers pored over the results of 130 studies on gun control legislation passed in 10 different countries to find out which policy interventions worked, which ones didn't and on what issues the jury was still out.
Big caveat up front: Sussing out cause... (GunPolicy.org)
Imports of Controversial Adler Shotgun Pouring Into Australia
4 March 2016
Australian Associated Press
SYDNEY - Thousands of Adler rapid-fire shotguns have flooded into Australia over the past six months, sidestepping a ban on a previous version of the controversial weapon imposed following the deadly Sydney siege.
As commonwealth and state ministers and attorneys-general were undertaking an urgent review of national gun laws following the siege, orders for a five-round version of the Turkish-made Adler A110 were already pouring into gun dealers across the... (GunPolicy.org)
In American Mass Shootings, Most Guns Were Quite Legal
26 February 2016
Washington Post
The death tolls change, the places change: Nine in a church, 23 in a restaurant, 26 in an elementary school, 14 at a holiday party. The faces in the memorial photos change the most.
But the weapons are the common denominator.
Mass killings in the United States are most often carried out with guns, usually handguns, most of them obtained legally.
There is no universally accepted definition of a mass shooting, and different organizations use different criteria. In this... (GunPolicy.org)
Tennessee's New Official State Rifle Can Destroy Aircraft
26 February 2016
Washington Post
The Barrett .50 caliber rifle is a powerful gun. Widely used in the military, its rounds can "penetrate light armor, down helicopters, destroy commercial aircraft, and blast through rail cars," according to a report from the Violence Policy Center, a gun safety group. The Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence describes .50 caliber rifles like the Barrett as "among the most destructive weapons legally available to civilians in the United States."
And as of Wednesday, the... (GunPolicy.org)
The People Who Want British Gun Laws to Be Relaxed
23 February 2016
BBC News
Gun debate in Britain tends to focus on what is happening in the US, but more than 700,000 firearm owners live in England and Wales. Who are they, and why do some want laws relaxed?
"It's frustrating for me that when you tell someone you own a gun you're instantly labelled a weirdo. It's like a secret society," Callum Long-Collins explains from a gun shop in Botley Mills, Hampshire.
He owns seven firearms, but did not want to show them in his own home in case it gave... (GunPolicy.org)
Restricted Guns Up 82% in Canada Under Tory Government
11 February 2016
iPolitics (Canada)
The number of restricted firearms across Canada rose more than 82 per cent while Prime Minister Stephen Harper was in power, with the sharpest increase after the Conservatives formed a majority government.
The increase is found in calculations made by iPolitics from statistics found in several reports of the federal Commissioner of Firearms, which released its 2014 report last month.
One of the biggest increases was in Alberta, where the number of restricted guns rose... (GunPolicy.org)
European Gun Restrictions 'Could Criminalize Collectors'
11 January 2016
Local (Austria)
Austria's gun lobby is up in arms against plans for tougher new EU restrictions on firearms, which are set to be approved next month and would come into effect in July.
The terror attacks in Paris in January and November last year have given new urgency to the debate on tougher gun laws, with EU leaders saying in December they would "rapidly examine" the proposals, with the aim of approving them at a summit in February.
European officials say gun laws passed in 2008... (GunPolicy.org)
United States,Botswana,Algeria,Libya,South Africa,Kenya,Rwanda,Djibouti
7 African Nations More Effective at Gun Control than the US
11 January 2016
Mail & Guardian (Johannesburg)
In a BBC interview last July, US President Barack Obama admitted that failure to pass "common sense gun safety laws" in the US has been the greatest frustration of his presidency.
Since he took office in 2008, there have been repeated mass shootings including the 2011 Tucson Arizona shooting in which Gabrielle Giffords, then a member of Congress and 18 others were shot in a supermarket parking lot. Six people died that day.
Another shooting was at Emanuel African... (GunPolicy.org)
German Shooting Clubs Lobby Against EU Gun Control
21 December 2015
Deutsche Welle
German gun club lobbyists were invited to the German Interior Ministry (BMI) last week to discuss something that has been bothering them for a while - the European Commission's proposed plans to tighten Europe's gun laws, which were suddenly revived from legislative stagnation in the wake of the "Islamic State" attacks in Paris in November.
By all accounts, the visit was a success. "The proposal contains things that the BMI said would be difficult for them, and where... (GunPolicy.org)
United States,Australia,United Kingdom,New Zealand,Canada
How a Conservative-Led Australia Ended Mass Gun Killings
4 December 2015
New York Times
In the continuing debate over how to stop mass killings in the United States, Australia has become a familiar touchstone.
President Obama has cited the country's gun laws as a model for the United States, calling Australia a nation "like ours." On the campaign trail, Hillary Clinton has said the Australian approach is "worth considering." The National Rifle Association has dismissed the policies, contending that they "robbed Australians of their right to self-defense... (GunPolicy.org)
18 November 2015
Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia (Puerto Rico)
Gun laws in Puerto Rico regulate the sale, possession, and use of firearms and ammunition in the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. As Puerto Rico is a commonwealth of the United States, many U.S. federal laws apply, as well as Constitutional rulings and protections. (1) (2)
Summary Table
Subject/Law? Long guns - Handguns - (Notes)
Permit to purchase? No - No - (Firearms purchases are subject to the requirements of US Federal law)
Firearm registration? No - No
Assault... (GunPolicy.org)
European Union,Albania,Bosnia & Herzegovina,Bulgaria,Croatia,Greece,Kosovo,Macedonia,Montenegro,Serbia,Turkey
European Commission Tightens Gun Control Across the EU
18 November 2015
European Commission - Press release
The European Commission today adopted a package of measures to make it more difficult to acquire firearms in the European Union, better track legally held firearms, strengthen cooperation between Member States, and ensure that deactivated firearms are rendered inoperable. The proposals presented today were foreseen in the European Security Agenda adopted in April 2015, but have been significantly accelerated in light of recent events. The Commission is hereby supporting... (GunPolicy.org)
France,Bosnia & Herzegovina,Croatia,Kosovo,Macedonia,Montenegro,Serbia
How Did the 13 November Paris Killers Get Their Guns?
17 November 2015
Peace Research Institute Oslo (PRIO)
How Did the 13 November Paris Killers Get Their Guns?
Full details of the arms used in the 13 November massacres will emerge in time. This post provides some information on illicit automatic weapons, such as the Kalashnikov, in France, and how they reach illicit markets.
Overall, it appears that there is a pool of several thousand illicit military style firearms in France and relatively small numbers are trafficked in from abroad. Such quantities mean that terrorists... (GunPolicy.org)
Norwegian Police to Stop Carrying Guns Once Again
13 November 2015
Yahoo News (Norway) / AFP
Oslo (AFP) - Norway's police, who have been authorised to carry firearms for the past year due to a heightened threat of Islamist attacks, will be unarmed again now that the threat level has been lowered, police said Friday.
National police chief Odd Reidar Humlegard told reporters the measure would take effect on November 17.
The country's 6,000 uniformed police officers will "have to keep their weapons locked in their patrol cars like they did previously," he... (GunPolicy.org)
Brazil Seeks to Copy US Gun Culture
12 November 2015
Time (USA)
Rio de Janeiro - Congressmen in Brazil, one of the most violent countries in the world, are proposing to dramatically loosen restrictions on personal gun ownership, bringing the country much closer to the American right to bear arms.
The politicians say the measures are necessary to allow embattled citizens the right to defend themselves from criminals armed with illegal weapons. But opponents say the move will only increase the country's toll of nearly 60,000 murders... (GunPolicy.org)
Spike in Handgun Crimes Reveals Australia's Secret Problem
10 November 2015
New Daily (Australia)
The black market for guns is bigger than previously understood and crimes involving handguns are rising sharply, shows never-before-seen data published today by The New Daily.
Australians may be more at risk from gun crime than ever before with the country's underground market for firearms ballooning in the past decade.
Previously unseen police statistics show that the number of pistol-related offences doubled in Victoria and rose by 300 per cent in New South Wales.... (GunPolicy.org)
Australia,United States,Canada,United Kingdom
US Political Debate About Australian-Style Gun Laws
20 October 2015
Sydney Morning Herald
Asked about Hillary Clinton's suggestion that the United States consider Australian-style gun laws, one of the country's leading gun industry champions laughed.
"You've got to ask yourself how much the NRA paid the Clinton Foundation to get her to say that," Richard Feldman, a former National Rifle Association lobbyist said.
"Forget gold, that comment is worth its weight in platinum."
Australia has been raised again in the US debate over guns in the wake of the... (GunPolicy.org)
United Kingdom,Australia,United States,Israel
Gun Control Advocates Envy Australia, Britain's Strict Laws
14 October 2015
Washington Times
Australia and Britain have been held out as examples of foreign countries that moved quickly to impose gun restrictions in the wake of national tragedies as the United States grapples with what — if any — policy reforms could prevent future mass shootings like the recent attack in Oregon.
Both countries saw a drop in gun-related crimes after imposing restrictions, though analysts debate whether the laws deserve credit.
But all sides agree the moves Britain and... (GunPolicy.org)
Gun Violence Misinformation Appears Regularly in Australia
10 October 2015
The Conversation
Federal MP Bob Katter's recent foray into gun politics shows that having a calm discussion in Australia about firearms can be challenging. In trying to overturn a government ban on a particular type of shotgun, Katter said: "We are emasculating the individual because some city people are scared of firearms. I've bought a bow and arrow now because I think one day they'll ban all guns."
Debate is often driven by emotional statements about who is most at risk of being... (GunPolicy.org)
United States,Australia,Turkey
Weakening Australia's Gun Laws a 'Huge Mistake' - Ex-PM
10 September 2015
ABC News (Australia)
The Federal Government has agreed to allow the importation of the Adler lever-action shotgun in a year's time, pending a review into the system.
Gun control advocates say the rapid-fire weapon from Turkey should be permanently banned because of its fast firing rate and its eight-round capacity.
Mr Howard, who introduced a ban on automatic and semi-automatic weapons following the 1996 Port Arthur massacre, said he did not believe Australians wanted to see weaker... (GunPolicy.org)
Gun Ownership Rises 10 Per Cent in NSW, Australia
3 August 2015
Sydney Morning Herald
Gun ownership has surged 10 per cent in NSW in the past five years, with one gun now registered for every nine residents.
And the biggest rises in gun ownership are in some of Sydney's most affluent areas, postcodes that encompass Neutral Bay, Pyrmont and Sydney's CBD, where the number of firearms has climbed by more than 60 per cent since 2010.
More than 850,000 firearms are now legally registered in NSW.
Newcastle recorded an 81 per cent increase in the number of... (GunPolicy.org)
Guam,United States,Puerto Rico
15 July 2015
Pacific Daily News (Guam)
The timing of a recent court ruling from the Commonwealth Court of Puerto Rico could not be better, and may well set in motion a significant ripple effect in other U.S. Island jurisdictions, namely Guam and Hawaii.
The Puerto Rican court recently handed down a ruling on a class action lawsuit that was brought by the Ladies of the Second Amendment, or LSA, with 850 individual plaintiffs. The court ruling, confirmed by the Second Amendment Foundation, or SAF, was a... (GunPolicy.org)
Ban on Firearms Imports Extended in Panama
9 July 2015
CentralAmericaData.com
From a resolution of the Ministry of Public Security:
It is resolved:
To extend the suspension of the import of weapons allowed in the country by companies duly authorized to apply for licenses from the Ministry for importing such goods. State Security and the security services of state institutions are excepted.
This Resolution is legally binding for a period of one (1) calendar month.
IT IS ADVISED that appeals in opposition to this resolution Resolved may appeal... (GunPolicy.org)
Disagreement About Origins of Illegal Firearms in Australia
26 May 2015
ABC News (Australia)
Tracing the source of guns used in crime across Australia is difficult, and the origins of illegal firearms is the subject of significant disagreement among federal lawmakers.
A recent Australian Crime Commission report on organised crime said a new database being developed will track the full life of a gun, something law enforcement agencies have never been able to do. But for now, where illegal guns come from remains a hotly debated topic.
A Senate inquiry into... (GunPolicy.org)
Increase in Gun Licences in NSW
2 April 2015
Daily Telegraph (Sydney)
Firearms squad boss Mick Plotecki has blamed a surprise increase in gun licences in NSW on the influence of popular American gun culture.
There are now 215,462 gun licence holders in the state, an increase of over 37,000 in the past five years from 177,675.
Detective Superintendent Plotecki said yesterday the American culture was one of the reasons with number of Australians influenced by the US belief in a right to bear arms and the prevalence of guns in movies and... (GunPolicy.org)
Over 18,000 Firearms in Australian Capital Territory
24 January 2015
Canberra Times (Australia)
The lure of hunting in NSW national parks has prompted a membership boom at ACT gun clubs.
Statistics obtained by the Sunday Canberra Times reveal there are more than 18,000 firearms in the territory, about one for every 20 Canberrans.
It's illegal for shooters to hunt vermin in ACT parks, although shooting on private properties is still allowed.
Sporting Shooters Association of Australia ACT president David True said they had about 3500 members in the ACT, growing... (GunPolicy.org)
Amnesty Announced for Guns in British Virgin Islands
7 January 2015
BVI News
With the amended Firearms and Air Gun Act (2015) now in effect, the Royal Virgin Islands Police Force (RVIPF) said it has launched a firearm and prohibited weapons amnesty that will run throughout the month of July.
The RVIPF hopes persons will use the opportunity, in light of the increased prison terms likely, to turn over all illegal or prohibited weapons in their possession to police.
Commissioner of Police David Morris noted that persons found in possession of an... (GunPolicy.org)
High Murder Rates in Brazil and South Africa Put Firearms Back in Spotlight
24 November 2014
Huffington Post (USA), Blog
Brazil and South Africa have dramatically expanded their geopolitical influence over the past two decades. But after years of democratic and economic gains, the two countries now find themselves in the doldrums. One of the reasons for this is that they are addicted to violence. Brazil and South Africa lead their respective continents in murder. This is no easy feat: last year the United Nations reported that 8 of the top 10 most violent countries in the world were... (GunPolicy.org)
Russian Citizens Can Now Carry Rifles in Public
20 November 2014
Business Insider (Australia)
After a change to national gun law on Tuesday, Russians can now carry certain guns in public for the purposes of "self-defence."
The new policy allows the use of weapons to "protect their lives, health and property" but not against "women, disabled persons, and minors, unless they attacked you with a group and arms," according to an analysis by Russian media site Arguments and Facts.
These weapons include "long-barreled weapons, pistols, revolvers, 'home-made tubeless... (GunPolicy.org)
Studies on the Link Between Mental Health and Gun Violence
19 November 2014
New Yorker
On Friday, October 24th, during the busy lunch hour in the school cafeteria of Marysville-Pilchuck High School, in Marysville, Washington, Jaylen Fryberg opened fire on his classmates, killing one student and wounding four others, three of whom later died from their injuries. Then he killed himself.
Just a week earlier, Fryberg had been crowned prince of the school's homecoming court—he was a community volunteer, student athlete, and all-around "good kid." But within... (GunPolicy.org)
6,000 Illegal Gunmakers in the Philippines
14 November 2014
Bloomberg (USA)
Hidden beneath tarpaulins in the backyard of a house in the central Philippine city of Danao, Lito puts the finishing touches on a replica .45-caliber Colt Officer's Model pistol. It will join the more than 600,000 illegal guns in circulation in a country where the homicide rate outstrips the U.S.
The money he makes from guns supplements his income as a farmer and helped Lito, 52, send two children to college. Still, he thinks often of the suffering that may come from... (GunPolicy.org)
Dominican Republic Minister Says Gun Import Ban Ineffective [ES]
29 June 2014
Listin Diario
[Translated summary: The Defence Minister of the Dominican Republic says the ban on importing firearms has done more harm than good, adding that 98% of firearm deaths and injuries are caused by illegal weapons.]
SANTO DOMINGO - El ministro de Defensa aseguró que la prohibición de la importación de armas de fuego ha hecho más mal que bien al país.
El almirante Sigfrido Pared Pérez reveló que el 98 por ciento de las muertes y heridas que se cometen son producidas... (GunPolicy.org)
Weapons Stash Found in Lower Austria
27 June 2014
Local (Austria)
A weapons stash has been found in Stockerau (Lower Austria) after police arrested a couple for stealing petrol.
A 31-year-old Austrian man and a 30-year-old Ukrainian woman were stopped by a police patrol on the S1 motorway in connection with three thefts from petrol stations in Korneuburg between May 25th and June 17th.
The suspects had been driving a conspicuous yellow car, that had no number plates, and turned out to have been stolen in Vienna. The woman had filled... (GunPolicy.org)
French Pensioner Shoots Son Mistaking Him for Bird
23 June 2014
Local (France)
A Frenchman shot his son three times after mistaking him for a blackbird raiding the family cherry tree. The story is just the latest in a long line of tragic and freak shooting accidents in France.
A Frenchman aged in his 70s noticed some rustling in his cherry tree tree on Saturday night in north-western France and, assuming it was hungry blackbirds pillaging his fruit, he pulled out his shotgun and opened fire.
But the movement in the tree was not in fact... (GunPolicy.org)
Austria to Create Central Gun Registry to Meet EU Requirements [DE]
19 June 2014
Die Press
[Translated summary: From the end of June, all legal firearms will have to be centrally registered with Austrian authorities to meet European Union requirements. 226,264 Austrian citizens have permits for weapons requiring approval however the number of legally held weapons in Austria is much higher. Austria has one of the most liberal gun laws in Europe but Austria's gun lobby calls the changes an attack on civil liberties. There is a booming internet trade in firearms... (GunPolicy.org)
Saudi Arabian Authorities Crack Down on Online Arms Dealers
18 June 2014
Arab News (Jeddah)
The Interior Ministry is closely monitoring and tracking down arms trafficking through the Internet and social networking sites.
Mansour Al-Turki, the ministry's spokesman, said violators — either individuals or website operators — will be treated as criminals.
He pointed out that trade in weapons and its accessories are prohibited in the Kingdom.
Al-Turki said competent security agencies regularly follow up and track the information and data available on trade... (GunPolicy.org)
Tasmanian Police Launch Public Appeal to Round Up Illegal Guns
16 June 2014
ABC News (Australia)
Tasmania Police has launched a two-week effort to help rid the state of illegal firearms.
Operation Unification starts is part of a nationwide campaign that aims to curb the manufacture, importation and use of illegal firearms.
According to police, most illegal firearms were once legal and had either been stolen or were unregistered.
In the last financial year, 192 firearms were stolen and just 23 recovered.
Detective Senior Sergeant Craig Joel said some weapons... (GunPolicy.org)
Op-Ed: The 'Have Gun, Will Shoot' Mindset in India and America
11 June 2014
Daily Pioneer (India), Opinion
In the US, powerful pro-gun lobbies have repeatedly sabotaged every attempt by lawmakers to make the possession of guns more difficult. In India too, it's not very difficult to secure a gun licence. This is a bad omen
Lawmakers in California in the United States are now mulling stricter gun control laws after a young man in the University of California killed six college students and himself. The young man was able to buy three guns and go on a rampage despite warnings... (GunPolicy.org)
Obama Praises Australia's Gun Control, Brings Country into US Gun Debate
11 June 2014
Sydney Morning Herald
Even as police were still on the scene of yet another American school shooting – the 74th since the massacre of primary school children in Newtown – President Barack Obama praised Australia's gun laws in an online question and answer session.
"Couple of decades ago, Australia had a mass shooting, similar to Columbine or Newtown. And Australia just said, well, that's it, we're not doing, we're not seeing that again, and basically imposed very severe, tough gun laws,... (GunPolicy.org)
UN - Liberia's Refusal to Enact Firearms Law Dampening Embargo Lift
10 June 2014
Front Page Africa
MONROVIA — The United Nations Panel of Experts said in its May 2014 report to the Security Council that the government of Liberia is dragging its feet on the enactment of national firearms legislation.
The Panel said the law is critical to providing the legal framework and institutional mechanism to ensure effective small arms control in Liberia, a country that has in the past been controversial as it relates to arms trafficking in the region.
"The Panel is of the... (GunPolicy.org)
US Airport Checkpoints Seize Up to 18 Guns a Day, 80% Loaded
9 June 2014
New York Times
Lots more of our fellow travelers are packing for the airport, so to speak. So far this year (as of the end of last week), the Transportation Security Administration has found 892 guns in passengers' carry-on bags at security checkpoints. That's a 19 percent increase from the comparable period of last year, when the total was 750 guns.
The 2013 gun-tote tally was a record, at 1,813 firearms found, incidentally. As this year's gun haul keeps rolling along, a one-day... (GunPolicy.org)
As UK MP Suggests Relaxing Laws, Secret Life of Britain's Guns Uncovered
7 June 2014
Voice of Russia, Audio
The leader of the UK Independence party, Nigel Farage, has suggested in an interview that Britain's gun laws should be relaxed. He said it was party policy for hand guns to be legalised and licensed in the UK. They've been banned for the last 18 years following the Dunblane School shooting in 1996.
VoR's Juliet Spare hosts a discussion.
Recent statistics from London's ambulance service reveal paramedics were called to 973 victims under the age of 25 suffering a gun or... (GunPolicy.org)
Australia Proves It: National Gun Buybacks Reduce Mass Shootings
5 June 2014
Time (USA), Opinion
In the decade and a half since Australia initiated the policy, the number of firearms per person has stayed constant, and gun deaths have remained low.
Sometimes a tragedy is so awful that it changes the national debate. The 1996 Dunblane school shooting in Scotland and the 2011 Norwegian gun massacre all prompted an outpouring of anguish and a demand for changes in law. In Australia, that moment was the 1996 Port Arthur massacre, in which a gunman killed 35 people at... (GunPolicy.org)
Rebel Dealer Jailed, Lost Licence, Guns: Agrees Fight Was 'Foolhardy'
3 June 2014
Toronto Sun (Ontario)
Bruce Montague was a northern Ontario firearms dealer so opposed to Canada's licensing laws that he stopped registering his guns in protest and dared the government to come after him.
Be careful what you wish for. Ten years later, the 54-year-old's act of what he saw as "civil disobedience" has resulted in an 18-month jail sentence, a lifetime ban from operating his trade and now he's just been ordered to hand over his $100,000 gun collection — his life savings —... (GunPolicy.org)