Moms Demand Action, Students Demand Action Applaud Alexandria City Council for Passing Ordinance to Keep Guns Out of Sensitive Places

The Virginia chapters of Moms Demand Action and Students Demand Action, both a part of Everytown for Gun Safety’s grassroots network, today released the following statement after the Alexandria City Council passed an ordinance to prohibit carrying firearms into city-owned or operated parks and buildings, as well as permitted events.

“The majority of Virginians agree on common-sense gun safety — and that includes drawing a line on where guns can go in our community,” said Katherine Bourdon, a volunteer with the Virginia chapter of Moms Demand Action. “We shouldn’t have to worry about guns in sensitive areas where our kids play, like parks and community centers. We’re grateful to our local officials for taking action to protect the community, and we hope other cities follow suit.”

This session, Virginia lawmakers passed legislation that will untie the hands of local officials from passing ordinances that will prohibit people from carrying guns where they don’t belong. Previously, Virginia’s preemption law prohibited cities and towns from passing or enforcing this type of local public safety law. This ordinance will be enacted once the new law goes into effect on July 1.