Trump DOJ makes moves to overturn assault weapons ban in mass-shooting hub - BERITAJA

The Justice Department is suing the metropolis of Denver, Colorado, alleging the city’s restrictions connected definite semi-automatic rifles break the Second Amendment.

Second Amendment rights

Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said the prohibition violates Second Amendment rights. By: Unsplash

In announcing the lawsuit, Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche accused Denver of infringing connected law rights done its prohibition connected immoderate firearms commonly referred to arsenic battle weapons.

“The Constitution is not a proposal and the Second Amendment is not a second-class right,” Blanche said successful a statement. “Denver’s prohibition connected commonly owned semi-automatic rifles straight violates the correct to carnivore arms. This Department of Justice will vigorously take sides the liberties of law-abiding citizens nationwide.”

The suit escalates a increasing conflict betwixt the Trump management and Democratic leaders successful Colorado complete weapon power policies enacted aft decades of high-profile wide shootings successful the state.

The nation’s toughest weapon laws

The DOJ based on Denver’s restrictions unfairly target AR-15-style rifles commonly owned by Americans. By: Unsplash

Colorado has been the tract of respective awesome wide shootings, including the 1999 Columbine High School massacre, the 2012 theatre shooting successful Aurora and the 2021 supermarket shooting successful Boulder.

Earlier this year, Gov. Jared Polis signed 1 of the nation’s toughest weapon power laws. The measurement made it forbidden to buy, waste aliases manufacture about semi-automatic firearms without inheritance checks and training requirements. Republicans vowed astatine the clip to situation the rule successful court.

Denver Mayor Mike Johnston pushed backmost against unit from the Trump management to repeal the laws, rejecting what he described arsenic an ultimatum from national officials.

“We’re present coming to fto them cognize that our reply is hellhole no,” Johnston said.

History of weapon violence

Colorado leaders, including Denver Mayor Mike Johnston, defended the state’s strict weapon laws. By: Unsplash

Johnston besides invoked Colorado’s history of weapon unit while defending the restrictions.

“In Colorado, you only person to opportunity the places,” Johnston said, naming sites of awesome shootings: “Columbine. Aurora. Boulder.”

The Justice Department based on successful its filing that Denver’s ordinance unlawfully criminalizes possession of AR-15-style rifles, which it described arsenic “the about celebrated rifles successful America.”

“Law-abiding Americans ain tens of millions of rifles for illustration those banned by the city,” the DOJ connection said.