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Sunday's Killings of Police Leads to Call to Ban Guns in Downtown Cleveland During the RNC

Loomis says the temporary suspension is a must.
M.L. SCHUTLZE
/
WKSU
Loomis says the temporary suspension is a must.
Loomis says the temporary suspension is a must.
Credit M.L. SCHUTLZE / WKSU
/
WKSU
Loomis says the temporary suspension is a must.

  The head of Cleveland’s police union is pressingGov. JohnKasichto suspend Ohio’s open-carry gun law for the week of the Republican National Convention.WKSU’sM.L.Schultzehas more on the growing conflict between heightened tensions and Ohio’s constitutional rights.

Until this weekend, the head of the Cleveland Police Patrolmen’s Association was philosophical that police would be able to handle convention security even if people showed up in downtown Cleveland openly carrying guns – as Ohio law allows.

But after three officers were killed in Louisiana Sunday, Steve Loomis called for the governor to issue an executive order banning open and concealed carry guns from the downtown event zone this week. He insisted the union is pro gun rights but that “passionate protesters from all parts of the world” make allowing guns too risky.

Kasich says the killing threaten to permanently divide community and police.
Kasich says the killing threaten to permanently divide community and police.

Kasichissued a videotaped statement after the attack.

“These kinds of vicious attack on police officer will only serve to drive a wedge and destroy the very fabric of our society.”

But the governor told CNN Ohio governors cannot unilaterally suspend state and federal constitutional rights and laws .

Copyright 2021 WKSU. To see more, visit WKSU.

M.L. Schultze
M.L. Schultze came to WKSU as news director in July 2007 after 25 years at The Repository in Canton, where she was managing editor for nearly a decade. She’s now the digital editor and an award-winning reporter and analyst who has appeared on NPR, Here and Now and the TakeAway, as well as being a regular panelist on Ideas, the WVIZ public television's reporter roundtable.