A federal judge in California has overturned the decades-old ban on assault rifles in the US state. In the decision, which was published on Friday (local time), the judge wrote as justification that the ban on semi-automatic weapons was not constitutional.
The popular AR-15 assault rifle, for example, is like a Swiss knife – a perfect combination of a weapon for domestic defense as well as homeland security, good for at home as well as for combat. The state has 30 days to appeal the decision.
Gun lobby cheers
California attorney general Rob Bonta immediately announced that he would appeal the decision and stressed that the applicable laws are still in full force. California’s governor, Democrat Gavin Newsom, described the decision as a “direct threat to public safety and innocent Californians.”
On Twitter, Newsom wrote that comparing the AR-15 rifle with a Swiss knife would be “a disgusting slap in the face for those who have lost loved ones to gun violence”. Gun lobbyists, on the other hand, cheered the federal judge’s decision.
Often used in rampages
In the United States, fatal incidents involving firearms that are easy to buy are commonplace. Assault rifles like the AR-15 are often used in rampages. After several major gunfire attacks, a ban on such weapons was once again discussed more intensely at the federal level.
So far, the necessary majorities have not been found in the US Congress. Many Republicans oppose tightening gun laws. The gun lobby is very powerful in the United States. (SDA / bra)
Shooter dead: Several dead and injured from gunfire in California(00:48)