Michigan Moms Demand Action, Students Demand Action Statement on Vote to Ban Open Carry at the Michigan Capitol

The Michigan chapters of Moms Demand Action and Students Demand Action, the grassroots networks of Everytown for Gun Safety, released the following statement after the Capitol Commission voted unanimously to ban the open carry of firearms at the Michigan Capitol. The vote comes after hundreds of Trump supporters, many armed, demonstrated outside the Michigan Capitol in solidarity with the attempted coup in Washington, D.C. last Wednesday.

“Banning open carry at the Capitol is an important first step to preventing the kind of armed intimidation we’ve witnessed in Michigan for the last year — which ultimately culminated into an attempted coup in Washington, D.C.,” said Emily Durbin, volunteer with the Michigan Chapter of Moms Demand Action. “We must continue to acknowledge and combat the very real threat of violent far-right extremism. Preventing extremists from openly carrying firearms to intimidate lawmakers will help protect all those who spend time at the Capitol to peacefully participate in democracy — and democracy itself.”

Following the planned kidnapping of Governor Gretchen Whitmer and several armed demonstrations on the grounds of the Michigan Capitol starting last spring in protest of COVID-19 precautions, Moms Demand Action volunteers made over 950 calls and sent over 1,800 emails to the Capitol Commission urging them to regulate guns in the Capitol and take action to prevent armed intimidation.