Seattle Bans Guns In Most Parks

KIRO TV / Various ^ | October 14, 2009

[Stoat]

SEATTLE -- Seattle Parks and Recreation on Wednesday put into effect a new rule banning the possession or display of firearms at playgrounds, community centers and other places where children are likely to be.

  Firearms will be prohibited at designated facilities once signs are posted notifying people of the new rule. The first signs are to be posted Friday, with the rest up by Dec. 1.

  In all, the rule will be applied at more than 500 parks, recreation centers, pools, beaches and golf courses.

[Stoat]

More:

x-4525-Seattle-Gun-Rights-Examiner~y2009m10d15-Nickels-makes-gun-ban-official-and-the-public-reacts

   Outgoing Seattle Mayor Greg Nickels yesterday (Oct. 14) made it official: He announced that city park properties will be posted off limits to firearms, even those guns that are legally carried by law-abiding citizens.

   Public reaction to the move has been overwhelmingly negative, much the same as it was during the public comment period that ended Oct. 4. KOMO's Ken Schram is not pleased with Nickels, either. I wrote about public reaction here, and was not surprised that Bob Scales, senior policy analyst for the city’s Office of Policy and Management, somewhat dismissed the huge negative reaction in a remark to SeattlePostGlobe.org because “65% of the comments were from outside Seattle.”

Seattle Times : Gun ban at Seattle parks facilities goes into effect

A ban on guns in certain Seattle park facilities went into effect Wednesday, according to the mayor's office.

The move, implemented to protect children, and which has drawn criticism including questions about its legality, will eventually affect hundreds of playgrounds, community centers, sports fields, swimming pools and water-play areas.

"When children and families visit a Seattle Parks and Recreation pool, playground, community center or other facility, they are entitled to a reasonable expectation of safety," Mayor Greg Nickels said in a news release.

Seattle P.I.: Seattle Mayor sets date for gun ban at city properties

Alan Gottlieb, vice president of the Bellevue-based Second Amendment Foundation, told seattlepi.com earlier this year that Nickels can't ban firearms from parks.

"This is probably his last blast against gun owners on his way out the door," Gottlieb said of Nickels, who was defeated in the August primary. "I don't think it's going to stick."

The full text of Nickels' press release is below. A link to the Second Amendment Foundation is here.

 

[Stoat]

ping

[thefactor]

so...the first loon who wants to shoot a bunch of kids will have free reign. criminals do not care about gun laws, you friggin idiots!

[Celerity]

Making parks safer for criminals - one park at a time.

Also, making it safer for criminals and psychos to prey on children - By ensuring that there is no law-abiding protection near places of child congregation.

I am, of course, preaching to the choir: But I’ve decided to repeat this non-stop everytime I hear of something like this.

[andy58-in-nh]

And thus Seattle creates another disarmed victim zone, announced publicly for the benefit of the amateur criminal class (as distinct from the professional criminals, who of course reside in the legislature).

[SW6906]

Preemption? What Preemption?

[steve86]

This is illegal (and they know it). Municipalities can’t override state law.

[xcamel]

Seattle Declares Open Season for Rape and Assault In Most Parks

There, fixed it.

[freekitty]

I sure wouldn’t move there simply because their is no protection for the citizen.

[smokingfrog]

We’ll see if this holds up after McDonald v City of Chicago goes to the supreme court.

[AreaMan]

If I were the NRA or GOA or a Wash. gun rights group I would check the laws regarding the posting of signs and if possible post signs that read:

Attention Criminals:
For your convenience, the people in this park are unarmed and unable to resist you.
Courtesy of the City of Seattle.

or words to that effect.

[Stoat]

This is illegal (and they know it). Municipalities can’t override state law.

True of course.  The sad thing is the expense that will be wasted in the manufacture and posting of the signs and the expense of overturning this 'law'.  A tremendous waste of money just to throw a hysterical political fit.

[smokingfrog]

The Seattle police department is facing the possibility that it will have to enforce an illegal ban on guns,” said Workman [2nd Amendment Foundation]. “There is no penalty attached to the ban, but what they will do is file charges of trespassing on anyone who has a firearm on the property. If the person doesn’t leave, he can be arrested for criminal trespass.”

[dragnet2]

Seattle Bans Guns In Most Parks and other places where children are likely to be.

lol!!!

[Stoat]

I sure wouldn’t move there simply because their is no protection for the citizen.

Everyone knows that this 'law' is entirely unconstitutional and entirely illegal.  It will be overturned but there will be a considerable cost to dealing with this idiocy.

No coherent, legal gun owner is going to leave their gun at home when they go to the park because they know that this is merely a political statement from Nickels that will be overturned. 

[Dixie Pirate]

Great. More victim zones!

Will these morons never learn that the criminals are called criminals because they don’t adhere to these silly little laws?

Will they never figure out that the laws only affect the law abiding citizens?

[Buckeye McFrog]

and thus the Golden Age for Muggers in Seattle begins...

[dragnet2]

Will these morons never learn that the criminals are called criminals because they don’t adhere to these silly little laws?

I think the law abiding better quickly understand these laws are not directed at criminals.

[21twelve]

It is illegal. A year or so ago when this first came up it was going to be more like a “no tresspassing” order. You get caught, you are asked to leave. If you resist, then you are arrested for trespassing. Not sure if that is how it still is, but that would give them perhaps some leeway around the state laws. Still - it will be a fight. I guess my point is - just make sure you have it concealed!

[Stoat]

and thus the Golden Age for Muggers in Seattle begins...

They can 'bring it on'.  I would love for Seattle to try to prosecute me for icing a violent mugger who threatened my life under an obviously illegal, politically-motivated 'law'.

[21twelve]

Opps - see post 13. It is just tresspassing.

[Stoat]

When all is said and done, I would be interested in an accounting of all costs involved with manufacturing, displaying, and then taking down and destroying all of these signs as well as the administrative costs of putting into place and then undoing this fake ‘legislation’. A complete waste of tax money all ‘round, only to score political points with Nickels’ hard-left constituency.

[DesertSapper]

That’ll stop those armed criminals! /sarc

[21twelve]

They say hundreds of places. Lets say 400. 4 signs per park. Materials: $400. Labor: 4 hours, 2 guys @ $30/hr = $240. So $640 per park x 400 parks = $256,000. And I am usually amazed at what things really cost (espesically with government), so perhaps double it.

[Dayman]

Time for WA residents to have an open carry meetup in Seattle. With section 1983 lawsuits to follow. Unfortunately that’s the only way these idiots will learn.

[sionnsar]

Thanks to Stoat for the ping.

Say WA? Evergreen State ping

Quick link: WA State Board

FReepmail sionnsar if you want on or off this ping list.
Ping sionnsar if you see a Washington state related thread.

[Robert357]

When the Seattle Times first announced this move a few weeks ago, they had a link to the Seattle Parks department that was taking comments on the policy. I commented and told them that if they move forward with the plan it will result in less sales tax revenue for the city from out of City concealed carry permit holders, such as myself.

I also said that based on recent attacks of people in the Green Lake Park area that disarming honest law-abiding people who use that park did not make sense.

So much for logic in the face of political correctness. I guess I need to stay out of Seattle and go to parks where honest citizens are treated as honest citizens.

[sionnsar]

I guess I need to stay out of Seattle and go to parks where honest citizens are treated as honest citizens.

I rather tend to avoid Seattle anyway.