'Constitutional Right' For Gun Rally At Warminster Park: Officials

WARMINSTER, PA —Township officials responded to residents' concerns regarding the Gun Owners of America rally Saturday at Warminster Community Park, stating the organization secured the proper permits and "have the constitutional right to use this public space just like other groups and organizations."

"The Gun Owners of America event being held at Warminster Community Park on Saturday, Oct. 1, is not endorsed by the Township of Warminster, nor the Board of Supervisors," the statement reads.

The Board of Supervisors may not agree with some of the Gun Owners of America ideas; however, we all took an oath to uphold the Constitution of the United States and the Constitution of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and not just the parts we like. The organizers of this event have the constitutional right to use this public space just like other groups and organizations.

The event has triggered opposition and outrage among residents, a state anti-gun violence organization and a Bucks County commissioner yet the state's Gun Owners of America chapter director said the park "may be the safest in Pennsylvania."

"We have a First Amendment right to be there, chapter director Val Finnell told Patch Thursday. "It's a political event. We're celebrating our Second Amendment freedoms."

A flier from Gun Owners of America through The Right For Bucks organization touts a gun giveaway at 7 p.m. of an AR-15 and a Tommy Gun. (The flier notes that those eligible must be a Pennsylvania resident, age 18 or older and be present at the event.)

Among the guest speakers are Republican gubernatorial candidate Doug Mastriano.

Township officials, in the statement, said the rally is a private and ticketed event that went through the township’s special events application process for use of public places in Warminster Township.

The township is aware that some folks may completely disagree with the objective of the event and may take to counter-protesting," the statement reads. "Protest is a core First Amendment right. It is the township’s hope that the event is peaceful and without incident. We ask if you are not planning to attend the event to stay home and allow the attendees to proceed in an uneventful manner. It is the township’s goal that everyone travel home safely to be with their families Saturday evening.

Finnell said people who are upset about the rally shouldn't be.

"There's nothing to worry about," he said. "We're a peaceful group. We're not there to bother anybody. This is America. Everybody has a right to be at a public park. We're not a group that advocates violence."

A statement from CeaseFirePA called the rally a "terrible event to bring into a community."

“Bucks County community members are scared and Warminster township officials hands’ are tied due to firearm pre-emption laws," CeaseFirePA’s Southeast Coordinator Carol Lastowka said. "If the General Assembly wants communities to be safer, they need to repeal Pennsylvania's preemption statute, which seeks to intimidate and punish municipalities attempting to reduce gun violence through local law.”

Bob Harvie, Bucks County commissioner echoed this.

“Gun violence has escalated, making everyone, from our children to police officers, less safe. An event like this is part of the problem, it's not a solution," Harvie said.

Some Bucks County residents expressed outrage.

"I’m firmly against this Saturday’s Gun Owners of America event. Our community parks should not host any events that include raffling off weapons of war. Parks should be safe spaces for us to gather with our families, not a place to worry if the winner of a gun at the park will be responsible for it," Lindsay Guinan said.

"Holding an event like this in a community park is so inappropriate. I take my children to play at the playground and Safety Town at this park all the time. Rallying off an AR-15 and Tommy Gun at a public park is the opposite of safe. This is extremely upsetting," Aileen Bochanski said.

Finnell said no guns will be handed out at the park. He said raffle winners will be given a voucher and go through the proper background checks. He added that the Tommy Gun is a semi-automatic version.