Several people from the states of Virginia and Washington, DC, have filed a lawsuit against the nation’s capital.
This lawsuit comes over their policies that prohibit people from carrying concealed guns on the city’s metro and bus systems.
Per the DCist, three people who live in the District of Columbia and one person who lives in Virginia have filed a lawsuit together. They demand the cities lift restrictions on carrying concealed guns on their public transportation systems.
Are you a concealed carry permit holder in DC that's tired of risking a trip on public transit without protection?
If you fit the criteria, reach out today at https://t.co/eUkhL11G7M. pic.twitter.com/q3NOelA6PA
— Firearms Policy Coalition (@gunpolicy) July 3, 2022
After the Supreme Court ruled 6-3 in New York State Rifle & Pistol Association Inc. v. Bruen that a New York law which only let people with “good character” and “reasonable cause” get concealed carry permits was unconstitutional, the organization decided to sue the state of New York.
Prohibition
Given the rulings in Bruen and Heller, the case contends that the District of Columbia may not prohibit the keeping and carry of guns for self-defense in certain situations.
Some of these include situations that are not unusually hazardous, deny persons the right to carry weapons in non-sensitive areas, and deny people the right to retain and have arms.
Other scenarios include those which unfairly and unjustly impose limits on the right to keep and carry weapons that are inconsistent with the Second Amendment and the historical practice of the right to bear arms.
DC's pre-Civil War laws banned the concealed carry of weapons, including pistols. So aside from the fact that Metro didn't exist in the freaking 19th century, yes, prohibiting concealed carry in public places in DC is in line with "historical tradition."https://t.co/myjvHYOeEm
— Adam Rothman (@arothmanhistory) July 2, 2022
It goes on to say the law at issue, in this case, violates the Second Amendment because it has no historical basis, is objectively unreasonable, and infringes on the basic right to protect oneself without good reason.
These are all reasons why the Second Amendment shouldn’t be struck down.
At this time, the open carrying of handguns is not permitted in the District of Columbia, and those who choose to conceal carry face a wide variety of travel limitations.
It is against the law to carry hidden weapons on public transportation, in government buildings, in the National Mall, in clinics, schools, and universities, as well as in bars, restaurants, and other places that serve alcohol.
Public Transit
However, the sole objective of the case is to overturn regulations that prohibit carrying concealed guns on public transit. In addition, it explains the main differences between public transit networks and the other places where you can’t go.
The filing of the lawsuit comes at a time when the rate of crime in the D.C. metro has reached unprecedented levels in recent years.
In April, the Metropolitan Police Department made the announcement it would be boosting the number of police who monitor the metro lines.
Despite a more than 30 percent decrease from the previous year in the number of serious crimes committed on trains, the crime rate remains significantly higher than it was prior to the pandemic.
