Despite the assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump, guns will still be allowed outside the Republican National Convention (RNC) in Milwaukee when it begins Monday evening.
Wisconsin state law permits firearms in the “soft” security zone, the outer perimeter of the downtown Milwaukee convention area, where around 50,000 people are expected to attend the four-day event.
However, there are certain restrictions. Machine guns, other fully automatic firearms, and silencers are prohibited in the outer perimeter, according to Axios. Additionally, firearms are not allowed inside the convention or within the event’s “inner perimeter.”
Some city officials tried to ban guns in the outer zone, but they were unable to override Wisconsin’s open and concealed carry laws, which prevent cities or towns from creating their own gun regulations, as reported by Forbes.
Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers requested on Sunday that the U.S. Secret Service prohibit firearms in the outer perimeter in response to the Saturday shooting. However, his request is unlikely to succeed, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported.
Alexi Worley, a spokesperson for the U.S. Secret Service, stated that the agency has no authority over local gun laws.
Trump announced over the weekend that he did not want to delay the convention despite the assassination attempt. Officials have assured that the city is prepared for the convention and confident it will be safe and secure.
Brian Schimming, chairman of the Wisconsin Republican Party, said on Sunday that “everything for the convention is going on as planned.” Schimming expressed confidence in the security arrangements despite the assassination attempt, according to the New York Times.
“We are all praying and thinking about the victims. And we will have a convention very, very focused, moving towards the future of this country with Donald Trump,” he said.