OPEN CARRY PROTEST

Dear Friends of the Coalition Against Gun Violence,

We oppose the unregulated open carry of guns in public places. The open carrying of firearms in public places is inherently threatening and intimidating, and poses risks to those nearby, to law enforcement and to our community. For example, when open carry has occurred in retail stores, other customers quickly became alarmed and the police were called to the scene, creating a volatile and potentially dangerous situation. Everyone should have the right to sit in a coffee shop or a restaurant with their families, including their children, without being confronted with the threatening presence of openly-displayed handguns.

SOLUTION:

· Businesses, such as Starbucks, should bar the open carry of firearms on their premises.

· California legislature should prohibit open carry. AB 1934, legislation to repeal Open Carry in California, recently passed the California State Assembly and is now heading to the California Senate.

Please join us (and Mayor Helene Schneider!) for the following demonstration in support of repealing California’s Open Carry law and to raise awareness in our community of this important issue.

Tuesday, July 13

11:00 am-1:00 pm

Outside Starbucks, 800 State Street, Santa Barbara (by de la Guerra St.). Please wear red, white, blue. We are patriots.

Note: If you can only come for 15 or 30 minutes, that's fine. Show up when you can, but please let us know whether you will be at the protest. We plan to give some approximate numbers to the police department for planning purposes.