Judge Grants Preliminary Injuction On Governor Baker’s Order To Shut Down Gun Shops

A federal judge granted a preliminary injunction against Massachusetts governor, Charlie Baker, for his emergency order shutting down gun shops in the state amid the coronavirus pandemic.

The case was brought forward by the Second Amendment Foundation (SAF), Firearms Policy Coalition, and Commonwealth Second Amendment, Inc.

In reaction to the coronavirus pandemic issued an emergency order that, according to the complaint, eliminated “all lawful channels of access of constitutionally protected arms and ammunition by mandating the closure of all businesses that sell firearms and ammunition to the consumer public.”

The lawsuit was filed on April 9 and was named Mcarthy v. Baker.

The complaint also says that those who brought it forward are not looking to minimize the severity of the COVID-19 pandemic, but they say the need for personal self defense is most acute during times of crisis and uncertainty.

“We are delighted at the decision by U.S. District Judge Douglas P. Woodlock and the swiftness with which it was reached,” said SAF founder and Executive Vice President Alan M. Gottlieb.

“Constitutional rights are never put on hold because of an emergency, including the outbreak of a virus. Too many elected officials think otherwise, and we’re having to deal with them one lawsuit a time, same as we’re taking on Governor Baker,” he continued.

Judge Woodlock specified that gun shops will be free to open at noon on Saturday, May 9.

According to Woodlock, there was “no justification” in the mandated closures.

“Gun shops in other states have remained open,” Gottlieb said, “and those stores have come up with creative strategies to serve the public without endangering anyone. We’re confident Massachusetts retailers will be equally ingenious in their compliance with social distancing and sanitation requirements. We will continue pressing these cases wherever they’ve shown up because we’re not just talking about business here, we’re talking about rights.”

©WLNE-TV/ACB6 2020