Gun owners rally in Old Town to protest public health order

Tamara Lopez | KOB

[anvplayer video=”5191725″ station=”998122″]

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – More than a hundred people openly carried their guns in Old Town as they protested Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham’s recent controversial move on firearms. 

“We’re not here to cause any issues. We’re just here to you know, express our amendment rights. And, you know, we’ll go from there,” said Derek J. a gun owner. 

This was a rally against part of Lujan Grisham’s public health emergency on gun violence. Specifically, the part where she banned carrying guns – either through open or concealed carry permits – in Bernalillo County and the City of Albuquerque for 30 days. 

“No constitutional right, in my view, including my oath, is intended to be absolute. There are restrictions on free speech, there are restrictions on my freedoms,” said Lujan Grisham Friday. 

“My jaw dropped for a Second Amendment to be suspended. It’s, it’s unconstitutional, we gotta put it that way. A lot of people here feel the same way,” said Derek. 

Republican state Rep. Stephani Lord represents a district including Sandia Park. She was at the Old Town rally and is taking her anger a step further. 

“So this is why I filed an impeachment, Representative John Block and I filed impeachment, which we plan to have done this week. And we plan on trying to push that through because she has done an illegal act and violated her oath,” said Lord. 

What is her pitch for a solution to the gun violence in our state? Lord believes the governor should reconsider legislation that got nowhere in the Roundhouse. 

“What she should do is go back and look at the bills we tried to present on the Republican side that we tried to make it that if you’re a felon, doing a crime, we want to increase the penalties and keep you behind bars,” Lord said. 

While the people at the rally are far from supporting the governor’s decision, there is agreement at the center of the debate. 

“Governor, we understand what you’re trying to do. We get it, we understand that you know, there’s a huge amount of gun violence here in New Mexico. We get it, be harder on crime, keep them in jail, and that’s all we asked,” said Derek. 

KOB 4 reached out to state police to see if any of the armed protesters were cited. A rep got back to us saying to his knowledge, no citations were given out at the event.

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