Group Petitions Target To Ban Guns Following Open-Carry Demonstrations
Launched this week by gun advocate group Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America, the petition has recorded 10,000 signatures in an attempt to urge Target to ban firearms at its stores, The Los Angeles Times reports.
The movement began shortly after photos of gun rights activists toting firearms at Target stores began spreading through social media.
While Target has yet to comment specifically on the gun ban petition, a spokeswoman for the company says the retailer does not sell firearms and follows the state and federal laws regarding the open-carry of firearms.
Previous petitions filed after similar open-carry demonstrations have often resulted in statements from companies asking consumers to refrain from bringing firearms inside stores.
Last month, Chipotle announced that it would rather its customers didn’t bring firearms into their stores. Previously, the company abided by local laws regarding open carry and concealed carry in determining whether or not to allow guns into particular stores.
“However, because the display of firearms in our restaurants has now created an environment that is potentially intimidating or uncomfortable for many of our customers, we think it is time to make this request,” explains the statement, which does not appear to be an outright ban but a request from the company to its customers.
Back in 2013, Starbucks issued a similar statement, which also stopped short of actually banning the carrying of guns into the coffee shops. CEO Howard Schultz instead asked “that customers no longer bring firearms into our stores or outdoor seating areas — even in states where ‘open carry’ is permitted—unless they are authorized law enforcement personnel.”
Target is petitioned to ban guns in its stores [The Los Angeles Times]
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