Now with the last week or so being I really wasn't able to get to this any sooner. Why I chose today to get this done only God knows why. I think it may well have something to do with it being the 4th of July, but read on and see what happened through the eyes of a person with nothing to gain for printing lies. After all I do this for free so I have nothing personal to gain.
I made my way into Erie about 10 am and along the way in stopped into Bob's Gun Shop and Indoor Shooting Range. Now with the questions over the ordinance and being a married man who has his family to worry about I was going up empty holster. A conversation with Bob and a few moments later I had a red training Glock in my XDs holster. Bob rounded up a few more and let me take them with in an attempt to show our contempt to the city over the ordinance that for all I can see is beyond state law.
I'm certain there are some who would wonder why I did not just take my XDs and thumb my nose at the city. Simply put if you factor out my wife's concerns about how far the EPD would be willing to go to enforce the ordinance. Why would I risk the chance of the city making $300 off me, if I'm putting $300 forward it was going to Joshua Prince who is the attorney of record for the group Open Carry Pennsylvania. As I make my way down to the area around Perry Square I meet up with Joshua and his father for the pre-rally meal.
Now we sat down to eat and discuss many topics mostly related to gun rights, and the case against the city. I mean from trial court to state supreme court inside 24 hrs it is certainly is worth note to many of us. So as the meal came to an end we gathered outside and watched the clock tic away until we could enter and begin. I had heard from many attendees that the EPD felt the need to remind them multiple times that the rally didn't start until 1 pm. This seemed like over the top behavior to provoke a response, but those I stood with laughed it off and wouldn't bite or give the EPD any reason.
Now when we walked over to the park a couple of people began circling the park. One of the first things we took note of was the trash laying around the park much off it just short of the can. Many of us called this into question on social media as we didn't need the city trying to claim to the media we trashed the park. The other big observation was a set of drunken individuals who continued to drink and took issues with one member of the rally prior to our entrance. While I don't know the problem I do know Chief Mark Kessler was in attendance and proceeded to call the EPD and report everything he witnessed.
For those who are not from or ever been in Erie, PA let me make one thing very clear. City hall and the EPD are on the other side of the street from the park. So 100 to 300 yards away at a max, and it took them almost 30 mins to start walking through the park. There arrival was not about the call made by Chief Kessler but rather to follow orders, as was obvious when they merely shoo'd away "One Eye Willie".
Justin wanted to be the man to lead the group in officially to begin the rally, so we did allow him that honor as we proceeded into the park. When asked if he was aware he was breaking the ordinance he responded "I know." While the EPD tried to press for ID's no one produced theirs under the advisement of the Prince Law Firm. The EPD officers were told as much on multiple occasions.
This is the point were those of us in attendance continued filming and photographing to include the members of the EPD present, who in turn were filming us. Sometimes shoving the camcorder right in the face of a person in attendance. When the speeches began the EPD proceeded to record the tags of every car, truck, and motorcycle around the park. The grand idea is to use facial recognition to issue the tickets once they identify everyone who was there and in violation of the ordinance. With the kicker being in my mind that the ordinance has no exemption for law enforcement, so every uniformed officer in attendance was also in violation of the ordinance.
Now to read the Erie Times News they'd have you believe that the citations were written then, alas that is a load of crap. If the EPD wrote a ticket it certainly wasn't for an ordinance violation. Now to listen to certain types of people like the city solicitor, or Justin's biggest fan Russ they'd have you believe that our firearms will just randomly jump out of the holster and go off. Well they didn't and they stayed put through it all. The fight against the city's blatant disregard for state law continues and on this the 4th of July I feel it important to make sure unbiased information as possible is listed for the public.
Yesterday while at work one of the local stations had the city solicitor on for an interview. Of course they tossed up softball questions and he couldn't even keep from stuttering through them. He ignores the issue of the city's violation of state law using the SCOTUS decision in Heller to justify keeping the ordinance. While the PA supreme court has their own rulings on similar cases involving Chapter 18 Section 6120 violations. So we stand up against what we consider and unlawful ordinance and place it before the higher court to consider.
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