SUPERVISOR MARK FARRELL AIMS TO BAN GUNS IN S.F. PARKS, PLAZAS, TOURIST AREAS
Farrell Also Asks National Park Police To Strictly Enforce ‘Open Carry’ Laws At Crissy Field Nazi Rally

SAN FRANCISCO — Today, Supervisor Mark Farrell announced that he aims to prohibit the public carrying of firearms at parks, plazas, and tourist areas in San Francisco. The new law, which Farrell plans to introduce on September 5, will ban guns at a variety of public spaces in the city.
“Our open spaces should be a safe place for kids to play — not a safe place for guns,” said Farrell. “In San Francisco, we don’t believe guns belong in our parks, plazas, and tourists areas, and with this new law I plan to get rid of them.”
Farrell’s law would prohibit the public carrying of firearms within four main geographical grouping areas in San Francisco:
● All parks, plazas, and open spaces within the City and County of San Francisco
● Major commercial areas, including the Financial District
● Major tourist areas, including Union Square
● Prominent public thoroughfares, including main portions of Market Street and the Embarcadero.
Currently, limited prohibitions on the public carrying of firearms exist in some public places. Farrell’s expanded policy, with new additions and more locations, will make San Francisco’s prohibitions among the strongest in the nation.
Today, Farrell also asked the National Park Police to strictly enforce applicable “open carry” laws at the planned Nazi rally at Crissy Field on August 26, 2017.
“Crissy Field should be a place for my kids to fly kites, not a place for Nazis to brandish weapons,” said Farrell. “Nazis are not welcome in San Francisco, but if they do come here, I’m calling on the National Park Police to immediately arrest anyone who is illegally carrying a gun.”
“Local governments such as San Francisco are uniquely positioned to determine what’s best for the public safety of their residents, including where people may carry guns,” said Robyn Thomas, Executive Director of the Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence. “Especially in light of the tragic events in Charlottesville, it is critical for local governments to address the issue of firearms in public spaces. The Law Center supports Supervisor Farrell’s efforts to strengthen the shared expectation that public places in San Francisco will be safe environments free from guns and gun violence.”
Currently, 35,000–75,000 Californians have concealed carry permits. While State law generally prohibits the open carrying of firearms (with some exceptions in counties with fewer than 200,000 people), individuals with a valid California concealed carry permit may carry a concealed handgun in certain locations in San Francisco, including Crissy Field. Currently, people with proper permits can carry concealed weapons in many locations in San Francisco as well.