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A federal appeals court ruled Thursday that the counties of
Los Angeles and Ventura in California acted unconstitutionally by closing gun stores during the COVID pandemic, considering them non-essential establishments.
According to a court document released to the media, the measure applied during the first 48 days of health crisis would have violated the Second Amendment of the Constitution, which protects the right of American citizens to own and bear arms.
“ The Second Amendment means nothing if the government can prohibit everyone from owning a firearm or ammunition. But that was what happened”, alleged Judge Lawrence VanDyke in said brief.
A panel of three judges of the Federal Court of Appeals of the The Ninth Circuit thus rejected two previous rulings of lower courts in which it was determined that gun stores were not exempt from the general closure order motivated by the spread of the coronavirus.
The instructions of the authorities prohibited all citizens from leaving their homes, unless it was for health reasons or previously approved, which did not contemplate the trip to grocery stores. weapons, ammunition or shooting ranges.
“It was completely prevented that citizens of these counties, respectful with the law, exercise their right to own a firearm,” VanDyke asserted.
While “bike shops were able to remain open as essential businesses,” added the judge reinforcing his position.
In the state of California you can only buy weapons by going to an armory in person.
That is why the closure of gun stores and shooting ranges has caused some controversy, and groups such as the National Rifle Association even sued the State in March 2020.
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