They were going to this at a park in the middle of a neighborhood, but now they are moving it to the waterfront.
The bold line in the article sums up my thoughts about this whole thing.
Armed activists move rally site
Saturday gathering now at waterfront
By Jessica A. York / Times-Herald
Posted: 04/01/2010 01:01:59 AM PDT
Gun rights activists planning to converge in Vallejo on Saturday will relocate about a mile from a downtown park to the city's waterfront, at city park administrators' request.
The "open carry" group, whose members plan to visibly carry unloaded guns in hip holsters in support of state laws, were initially set to meet in Washington Park.
Concerns about holding the 11 a.m. event in a residential area, however, led to the shift to Independence Park, south of the Ferry Terminal.
Event organizer Brad Huffman had not acquired a special event permit from the Greater Vallejo Recreation District when he announced the rally's original location, GVRD Executive Director Shane McAffee said.
"Our policy is that we don't allow guns in the park," McAffee said. "(But) it allows for me to issue special events permits ... like if the Boy Scouts want to shoot BB guns in Hanns Park."
The waterfront, McAffee said, is preferable to Washington Park because "it wasn't surrounded by homes. .. It actually has better visibility for what they plan to do."
McAffee said toilet facilities are already on site, and the alternative location "gives them a chance to make their statement without having a big impact on a neighborhood park."
McAffee's permit approval came despite a staff member's recommendation and objections from at least one Washington Park-area resident. Both had urged him to reject the request.
"I'm expecting it to be a positive event for this group and I hope they reach their expectations," said McAffee, who plans to attend the event to ensure that the group is complying with permit use conditions.
City resident Benjamin Wallace wrote the city manager and McAffee that he and his family regularly hear gunshots in and around Washington Park, bounded by Napa, El Dorado, Ohio and Sutter streets.
"I fail to see how the city and the GVRD could regard this gathering as an appropriate response to the violence that we are already experiencing," Wallace wrote.
Wallace's wife, Julie Paulson, said Wednesday she is glad to hear that event will "not be in front of our house," but did not support the event because "threatening more violence is not the best solution."
"If you have an open gun, the message to me is that you're willing to defend yourself," she said.
Huffman, of Martinez, said he is relatively unfamiliar with Vallejo parks, but, "just out of the sake of civility we are willing to be flexible" and change venues.
The thinly staffed Vallejo Police Department will be unable to provide oversight for the event -- expected to draw 100 people or more, Lt. Abel Tenorio said this week.
"We can't afford to change anything on that day's patrol," Tenorio said. "The only way we would be concerned about (this event) is these individuals walking around with unloaded weapons could be victimized by others who may feel like it is an opportunity to ... take the guns."
For more information on local open carry efforts, visit: www.norcaloc.com.
The bold line in the article sums up my thoughts about this whole thing.
Armed activists move rally site
Saturday gathering now at waterfront
By Jessica A. York / Times-Herald
Posted: 04/01/2010 01:01:59 AM PDT
Gun rights activists planning to converge in Vallejo on Saturday will relocate about a mile from a downtown park to the city's waterfront, at city park administrators' request.
The "open carry" group, whose members plan to visibly carry unloaded guns in hip holsters in support of state laws, were initially set to meet in Washington Park.
Concerns about holding the 11 a.m. event in a residential area, however, led to the shift to Independence Park, south of the Ferry Terminal.
Event organizer Brad Huffman had not acquired a special event permit from the Greater Vallejo Recreation District when he announced the rally's original location, GVRD Executive Director Shane McAffee said.
"Our policy is that we don't allow guns in the park," McAffee said. "(But) it allows for me to issue special events permits ... like if the Boy Scouts want to shoot BB guns in Hanns Park."
The waterfront, McAffee said, is preferable to Washington Park because "it wasn't surrounded by homes. .. It actually has better visibility for what they plan to do."
McAffee said toilet facilities are already on site, and the alternative location "gives them a chance to make their statement without having a big impact on a neighborhood park."
McAffee's permit approval came despite a staff member's recommendation and objections from at least one Washington Park-area resident. Both had urged him to reject the request.
"I'm expecting it to be a positive event for this group and I hope they reach their expectations," said McAffee, who plans to attend the event to ensure that the group is complying with permit use conditions.
City resident Benjamin Wallace wrote the city manager and McAffee that he and his family regularly hear gunshots in and around Washington Park, bounded by Napa, El Dorado, Ohio and Sutter streets.
"I fail to see how the city and the GVRD could regard this gathering as an appropriate response to the violence that we are already experiencing," Wallace wrote.
Wallace's wife, Julie Paulson, said Wednesday she is glad to hear that event will "not be in front of our house," but did not support the event because "threatening more violence is not the best solution."
"If you have an open gun, the message to me is that you're willing to defend yourself," she said.
Huffman, of Martinez, said he is relatively unfamiliar with Vallejo parks, but, "just out of the sake of civility we are willing to be flexible" and change venues.
The thinly staffed Vallejo Police Department will be unable to provide oversight for the event -- expected to draw 100 people or more, Lt. Abel Tenorio said this week.
"We can't afford to change anything on that day's patrol," Tenorio said. "The only way we would be concerned about (this event) is these individuals walking around with unloaded weapons could be victimized by others who may feel like it is an opportunity to ... take the guns."
For more information on local open carry efforts, visit: www.norcaloc.com.
