Open carry is generally not legal in Florida. However, it is allowed when you are hunting or fishing. The Tampa PD seems not to have gotten that message. George Freeman, as you can read below, was fishing on a city pier when he was detained and then ultimately banned from a city pier while open carrying.
While I personally prefer concealed carry, I do so in a state where unlicensed open carry has been the rule since the early 1920s thanks to a
NC Supreme Court ruling. I believe open carry should be legal because, at the very least, concealed carry holders need protection when inadvertently exposing their firearm.
Florida Carry files lawsuit against Tampa for violations of members' rights and Florida law.
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Tampa went too far.
Our member, George Freeman was NOT breaking any law but he was detained for over an hour, disarmed, searched, and ultimately banned from a Tampa city pier and all city parks for exercising his Second Amendment Right to Bear Arms.
The fact that a person is peacefully exercising their right to bear arms is not cause for police officers to attack, detain, search, and trespass a citizen who is a law-abiding gun owner.
To insure that this does not happen again, our lawyers are coming fishing with us at the next regularly scheduled Florida Carry Fishing Meetup, on Saturday, July 11th - 10am Ballast Point Pier in Tampa. Information and directions can be found by clicking HERE.
We have also filed a lawsuit to defend the right to bear arms, our members, and your rights. You can read about the case by clicking HERE.
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We often have to go to the courts to demand our rights.
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Florida Carry is a stand-up group and they are doing good work. Will support.
ReplyDeleteThat said, I suggest they drop a little of the hyperbole in this release - specifically the use of the word "attack" to describe the Tampa PF actions. Nobody was attacked. Being detained without cause is pretty bad on its own. We don't need to make things up.
The officer snuck up behind Mr. Freeman and attempted to snatch a legally carried firearm from it's holster. The officer was not successful in this attempt. I would say that this qualifies as an "attack".
DeleteJeffCville
When I read the article, in my mind an 'attack' causes harm from the get-go but I do see your point(s) and concede the difference is subjective. You are right - the cop was an idiot and I suspect the Tampa PD has delivered that message to him in some form or another.
DeleteI hope Florida Carry delivers the message more directly.
That looks like Robb Allen (of Sharp as a Marble) and his daughter on the left.
ReplyDeleteInteresting... And yes, that does look like Robb!
ReplyDeleteInteresting... And yes, that does look like Robb!
ReplyDeleteOf course it's Robb ... don't you know open carriers are attention whores?!
ReplyDeleteIf Florida Carry were "on the case" then they would have long ago filed their own Federal Civil Rights lawsuit challenging Florida's Open Carry ban instead of relying on a criminal appeal to do the work for them (Norman v. State).
ReplyDeleteBut Florida Carry does not want to overturn Florida's Open Carry ban.