'We're not trying to stir up anything': Why some gun owners are carrying weapons in Cleveland
Ohio law allow owners to openly carry firearms while in city during Republican National Convention
Sam Kurek, standing with a Glock 31 strapped to his side, was blunt in dismissing fears that armed pro-gun advocates like himself who aretaking advantage of Ohio'sopen-carry gun laws pose any kind of threat while they're at the Republican National Convention in Cleveland.
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One of about a dozen people who came armed to a pro-Donald Trump rally at Settlers Landing Parkearlier this week, Kurekrejected any concerns that a clash between armed supporters of Trump and armed detractorscould have deadly consequences.
"You'rethinking that we're going to start lining up and shooting at each other," said Kurek, who travelled to Cleveland from Pennsylvania."No, that's not going to happen."
'It's a deterrent effect'
"We're not trying to stir up anything.I'm carrying toprevent violence. It's a deterrent effect," he said.
If someone was about to shoot him, then, maybe, he would draw his weapon, Kurek said. Otherwise, heand otherlike-minded pro-gun advocatesare not here "to start a war."
"That's the last thing any of us want. That's the last thing our country needs."
Conventions have often been the scene of violent protest, and that concern has been amplifiedby the tension across the U.S. in the wake of high-profile police shootings of black men, which have led to demonstrations and clashes with police.
Security issues have also been heightened following the shooting of five police officers in Dallas by a sniper, thethree Baton Rouge police officers shot to death in an ambushand the recentattack in Nice, where more than 80 people were killed when a man driving a truck barrelleddown a crowded street.
Ohio's gun laws have also added to those security concerns. The stateis an "open-carry" state, meaning gunowners areable to carry firearms,except within the security perimeter that surrounds the Republican National Conventionvenue atthe Quicken Loans arena,dubbed "The Q."
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Before the convention kicked off this week, there were reports that a number of groups, including the Oath Keepers, Bikers for Trump and the New Black Panthers, were calling on their members to come to the cityarmed.
This, and the recent shooting deaths of police officers, prompted the headof Cleveland's police unionto urgeOhio Gov.JohnKasichto suspend open-carry laws for the entire state during the convention and to declare a state of emergency.
Itwas "irresponsible of those folks especially right now to be coming downtown with open-carry [assault rifles]or anything else,"Steve Loomistold CNN. Kasich'sofficesaidhe does not have the power to suspend the laws.
But so far, the number of those walking around the city with weapons strapped to their sides has appeared to berelatively small.
They do show up atvarious rallies, including Public Square, the designated downtown spot for demonstrations during the convention.
But fortwo days in a row, nomore thana dozen members of a western Ohio militia havemarched into downtown Clevelandcarryingsemi-automatic rifles, for the purpose they say to provide protection for peopleduring the convention,Cleveland.com reported. About the same number of people carrying guns came to the Trump rally.
As for theOath Keepers, Bikers for Trump and the New Black Panthers, they all issued statements beforethe convention denying reportsthat they were asking their members to bring their weapons to Cleveland.
So far, the convention and the city have been free of majorviolence, police say. There were a few minorskirmisheson Tuesdaybetween rival protest groups at Public Square but the heavy police presence ensured that nothing escalated beyond that.
"If a group of people come down here and they see a bunch of armed citizens, they're not going to be hostile anymore," saidJoelAmeigh, who has been carryinga Smith and Wesson M&P .40 byhis side. "They're going to think twice.It's the classic thing that an armedsocietyisapolite society."
Ameigh, from Pennsylvania,said he can understand the natural hesitation that peoplewho aren't used to being around firearmshave with people who are armed.
"Intoday's society, it is a very bold statement to make," he said.
"Aside from being a constitutionalright, I decided to carry because a lot of what's going on hererecentlywith shootings in Dallas,with shootingsin Baton Rouge it's just adangeroustime."
Ameigh said he wants to have the ability to protect his family from harm.
"This is for my protection, to make me feel comfortable in public, that's basically it."
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