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WPB mayor responds to riots by declaring emergency ban on guns and ammo for citizens

June 7, 2020 | | Print Article

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The liberal West Palm Beach, Fla, mayor’s state of local emergency continues to put a halt to gun sales within the city limit even though civil unrest may make it more important for self-defense.

Mayor Keith James’ declaration, which is said to be the first of its kind in the nation, extends to a ban on already licensed gun owners to carry their weapons.

James was a big supporter of failed 2020 Democrat presidential candidate Michael Bloomberg, who if elected, would have been gun grabber in chief.

“With the emergency declared, a state law kicks in that prohibits not only the sale of guns and ammunition but also the possession of a firearm in public by anyone not sworn in as a law enforcement official or on-duty military personnel,” the Washington Examiner explained.

Gun store operators in the city say the mayor’s potentially Second-Amendment-violating edict is ruining business by forcing them to turn away customers who want to protect themselves, their families, and their homes from lawbreakers particularly when police resources are stretched thin. They also contend that it is ineffective in the big picture because neighboring towns haven’t followed West Palm’s example.

The National Shooting Sports Foundation previously condemned the imposition of the restrictions. “This is unconscionable that the West Palm Beach mayor is denying the ability for law-abiding citizens of his city to exercise their Second Amendment rights during a time of unrest and widespread criminal activity. The Second Amendment was written exactly for these purposes, that citizens are afforded the ability to legally obtain arms and ammunition to defend themselves.”

Said one shop owner about yet another example of left-wing authoritarianism that only applies to law-abiding citizens rather than criminals, “The order doesn’t protect anybody because if somebody wants to get something, they can go less than 2 miles away…We sell guns. We do background checks. We’re not selling them off the trucks. The good person now is restricted. That’s kinda the irony of the law,” Fox News reported.

The owner added that under the circumstances, he was uncertain as to whether he can even legally offer firearms training classes.

Another owner described the emergency declaration as financially crippling, adding that “How can you go a week without pay?” Democrats have a strong track record in their hostility to small business.

GOP Gov. Ron DeSantis previously designated gun stores as essential businesses that qualified for an exemption from the COVID lockdown.

Mayor James’ decree comes as gun sales generally continue to skyrocket given the coronavirus outbreak combined with the mass George Floyd-related peaceful protests that have become violent primarily after darkness falls.

Regardless of someone’s feelings about firearms ownership, the fact remains that unlike law-abiding citizens, criminals – by their chosen career path – don’t abide by gun laws.

Despite being the new voting domicile of President Donald Trump who spends a lot of time across the bridge from the city at his Mar-a-Lago resort, West Palm Beach is a liberal enclave with political correctness running rampant among its Democrat elected officials.

The gun-sales prohibition went into effect on May 31 after civil disturbances involving an estimated 3,000 demonstrators occurred in the city. A 9 p.m. curfew also still in effect, although it may be lifted as early as tonight.

On Friday with the West Palm police chief at his side, Mayor James justified his actions by claiming that outside bad actors “hijacked peaceful demonstrations” in the area and denied that he was attempting to strip anyone of their Second Amendment right because no one is taking away anyone’s already-owned firearms.

Liberal Democrat Lois Frankel, a Nancy Pelosi rubber stamp, is one of the representatives for the area in Congress. Conservative firebrand and gun rights supporter Laura Loomer is her likely opponent in the November election.

Twitter users took a dim view of Mayor James’ local emergency declaration that appears to be a violation of both the Florida and U.S. Constitutions.

https://twitter.com/mjones_flfd/status/1268302084044214275

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