Armed gun owners open and concealed carried at a rally in Albuquerque, NM, on Sunday as an act of civil disobedience against Gov. Micheel Lujan Grisham’s illegal order “suspending” gun rights in the city.
A large crowd gathered in Old Town in defiance of Lujan Grisham, leaving police with a choice on how to react.
VIDEO THREAD: Gun owners – many visibly armed – rallied in old Town Albuquerque today to openly defy the New Mexico Governor’s Executive Order banning the open and concealed carry of firearms there as a one-month “emergency.”
Police did not intervene or enforce the order. pic.twitter.com/BAk0kDZC9A
— Ford Fischer (@FordFischer) September 10, 2023
In the end, no police intervened, and no one was arrested or cited with the $5,000 fine that the illegal order calls for. Albuquerque Police Department and the local Sheriff’s office had already indicated they would not be involved in any enforcement efforts. Notably, New Mexico State Police, which would have had ample time to respond, also did not make any arrests or give out any citations. Lujan Grisham had tasked them with enforcement as that’s the law enforcement department she has direct control over.
The speaker at the rally encouraged those in attendance to demonstrate every day that the order was in place. A counter-protester was allowed to speak at one point but didn’t appear to convince anyone.
3) One apparent anti-gun protester was yelled at, but then invited by the speaker to say his piece on the stage.
The crowd yelled at him for wearing a mask and applauded him when he took it off.
He expressed concern about gun violence in schools, which the speaker and crowd… pic.twitter.com/r8ENh8IKAC
— Ford Fischer (@FordFischer) September 10, 2023
It is unclear whether Lujan Grisham will take action to push for enforcement of her order going forward. She’s currently facing a lawsuit over her actions, and pressure on her move has gone national, with even Democrats voicing opposition.
Lujan Grisham responded sarcastically to Rep. Ted Lieu’s response, claiming that she has total control over the laws of New Mexico and insinuating she can suspend them at any time.
Hey Ted, conceal and open carry are state laws that I have jurisdiction over. If you’re really interested in helping curb gun violence, I’d welcome you to join our next police academy class. https://t.co/Odf9fNbO2W https://t.co/17ca1dYpLc
— Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham (@GovMLG) September 10, 2023
Democrat concerns over the order likely revolve around the possibility of litigation rising to level the Supreme Court. The striking down of Lujan Grisham’s order could result in the strong curtailing of emergency orders in general, a tool that Democrat politicians have come to rely on to push their policy preferences over the years.
Even putting aside the Constitution arguments, Lujan Grisham’s assertion that she has jurisdiction over gun laws and can thus void them at will seems to be a very weak legal argument. What other laws can she void if that’s the case? Time will tell how this plays out, but many Republicans are rightly hoping the issue isn’t mooted after 30 days. The implications of letting this order simply expire would be extremely concerning going forward.
