trial is under way for arrested in demonstrations at a Philadelphia Gun Store

[Sigarms12]

PHILADELPHIA — A trial is under way for 12 activists arrested in demonstrations at a Philadelphia gun store.


The defendants say Colosimo's Gun Center's owner won't sign a pledge to follow ethical gun-sale rules.


The defendants are part of an interfaith group concerned about gun violence and include several ministers.


The group, called Heeding God's Call, has continued to hold demonstrations outside the shop since the arrests in January.


Defendant Sam Caldwell, a 61-year-old grandfather from Media, says he sees evidence of racism in the nation's alleged tolerance of gun violence because many victims are black.


Prosecutors argue that the defendants are guilty of obstruction and disorderly conduct regardless of their motivation.

[GunEnvy]

You can't listen rap song or watch a movie geared towards black teens without seeing or hearing something that promotes violence but yet it is the fault of gun dealers? At what point does it just become ones own responsibility to ack civilized?

[CorBon]

From the (possibly tainted) info that I have seen, this is a difficult intersection for pro-gunners to be at.  It would appear that this particular shop does have a history of excessive problem/straw purchases.  The problem for the dealer, though, is actually determining that there is a problem.  I guess if one guy comes in with seven other guys, and each is pointing out a different gun, and then the first guy asks to purchase each of the seven guns, and the seven guys each give the first guy cash – I guess we could say that’s a problem.

In this situation, though, I can’t be sure that the protestors were necessarily protesting for the legitimate reason mentioned above.  I think that they were protesting because it is a gun store – plain and simple.  And after they close that down, they’ll demonstrate at the Best Buy because of the video games and music.

I wonder how many of the people arrested are already convicted felons?

[Sigarms12]

As far as straw purchases go I do know that the dealers in PA are having problems with people coming from Philly and trying to purchase guns for their friends. I was in Targetmaster and watched an attempted sale that was stopped by the Employee of Targetmaster when a guy tried to get his girlfriend to buy him a .45 Glock. They flat out refused to sell her the gun. After talking to the employee I was told they have seen a rise in attempted straw purchases to about 5 or 6 a week and most the time the people are from Philly.