Police union, politicians at odds over citizens' right to openly carry guns to Republican Convention
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In the wake of the latest shooting tragedy in the US – which has seen three officers killed in Baton Rouge, and three injured – the head of the Cleveland Police union has called on Ohio governor John Kasich to call a state of emergency and suspend the state's open carry firearms law during the Republican National Convention.
"I don't care what the legal precedent is, I feel strongly that leadership needs to stand up and defend these police officers," Police union head Steve Loomis told Reuters.
However, Governor Kasich says he does not have the required constitutional power to suspend the law.
The convention, which will see Donald Trump officially confirmed as the party's presidential candidate, will take place in Cleveland for four days from Tuesday NZT.
Ohio is one of several US states with a law to support open carry, or the practice of carrying firearms in plain view.
Thousands of protesters are expected at the Cleveland convention. If Trump foes and Trump supporters are legally carrying firearms, it will complicate policing of a situation that already promises to be volatile.
But, although protestors and convention goers will be able to openly display firearms around the Quicken Events Centre, the Secret Service has already said it will set up a special exclusion zone in inside the arena so people won't be able to carry guns onto the convention floor.
Mr Trump has sent mixed messages on firm arms. The presumptive Republican nominee has generally backed the NRA. But after the Orlando shootings, he indicated support for Hillary Clinton's call for those on the US government's terror watchlists to be banned from buying assault rifles. The NRA says only those who have been arrested for terrorism should be banned from buying a gun.
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Police union, politicians at odds over citizens' right to openly carry guns to Republican Convention
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