" It shall be unlawful for any person to carry, exhibit, display, or draw any firearm, dagger, sword, knife or other cutting or stabbing instrument, club, or any other weapon apparently capable of producing bodily harm, in a manner, under circumstances, and at a time and place that either manifests an intent to intimidate another or that warrants alarm for the safety of other persons.-RCW 9.41.270"
Vancouver Police Sgt. Greg Raquer told the Vancouver Columbian, which has been diligently covering this story, that state statute allows for someone to be cited if his display of a gun alarms people.
Thats not quite accurate. State RCW 9.41.270 (1) makes it unlawful to carry a firearm or other weapon in a manner, under circumstances, and at a time and place that either manifests an intent to intimidate another or that warrants alarm for the safety of other persons. This language has been narrowed by at least two appeals court rulings in recent years, including the unpublished opinion in State v. Casad, which noted, The statute does not and, under the Constitution, cannot prohibit the mere carrying of a firearm in public.
Simple prostitution of police power by an extremist group. It’s time Americans everywhere start demanding their rights and acting boldly to confront these petty tyrants. The best outcome would be a civil rights decision against the city of Vancouver. Too often the Police look for loopholes to interpret laws for their friends rather than look for equity in enforcement.