Cleveland Police asks for suspension of ‘open carry’ during RNC

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The Republican National Convention is headed to Cleveland, and Cleveland police are worried not only about unrest but about the fact that the city has an “open carry” gun policy. In the wake of the shooting in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, police in Cleveland are asking for a temporary restriction on gun laws.

“We are sending a letter to Gov. Kasich requesting assistance from him. He could very easily do some kind of executive order or something — I don’t care if it’s constitutional or not at this point,” Stephen Loomis, president of Cleveland Police Patrolmen’s Association, told CNN. “They can fight about it after the RNC or they can lift it after the RNC, but I want him to absolutely outlaw open-carry in Cuyahoga County until this RNC is over.”

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In response, Ohio Governor John Kasich said, “Ohio governors do not have the power to arbitrarily suspend federal and state constitutional rights or state laws as suggested.”

“The bonds between our communities and police must be reset and rebuilt — as we’re doing in Ohio — so our communities and officers can both be safe. Everyone has an important role to play in that renewal,” he said.

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