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Politics & Government

Guns are allowed outside the GOP convention despite the Trump assassination attempt. Here's why

City officials couldn't circumvent the state's loose gun laws

By Ben Kesslen·1 min read·Updated August 6, 2024
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Despite the assassination attempt against former President Donald Trump, guns will still be permitted outside the Republican National Convention (RNC) in Milwaukee when it kicks off Monday evening.

Wisconsin state law allows guns in the “soft” security zone, or the outside perimeter, of the downtown Milwaukee convention area where 50,000 people are expected to gather for the four-day convention.

There are some regulations though. Machine guns, other fully automatic firearms, and silencers are not permitted in the outer perimeter, Axios reported. And guns are not allowed inside the convention or in the event’s “inner perimeter.”

Some city officials tried to ban guns in the outer zone too, but they couldn’t supersede Wisconsin’s open and concealed carry laws, which don’t allow cities or towns to make their own gun rules, Forbes reported.

Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers asked the U.S. Secret Service on Sunday to bar guns in the outside perimeter in the wake of the shooting Saturday, but his request will likely be unsuccessful, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported.

U.S. Secret Service spokesperson Alexi Worley told the paper that the agency has no control over local gun laws.

Trump said over the weekend he did not want to delay the convention despite the assassination attempt. Officials have said the city is ready for the convention and have confidence it will be safe and secure.

Brian Schimming, the Wisconsin Republican Party chairman, said Sunday that “everything for the convention is going on as planned.” Schimming is “not concerned about security,” despite the assassination attempt, the New York Times reported.

“We are all praying and thinking about the victims. And we will have a convention very, very focused, moving towards the future of this country with Donald Trump,” he said.

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