Freedom Fair July 4th, 2010

Note:

~ Just found this on the flier:

Safety Notice: Due to security, bags and packages may be subject to inspection. Please
avoid bringing pets, picnic tents, ice chests, BBQ grills. Tacoma Police will remove unattended
items or dangerous items. Firearms, explosives (including personal fireworks),
and alcohol are not permitted. Violators may be subject to arrest and prosecution.

~ Thoughts ??

Batousaii said:

~ Just found this on the flier:

Safety Notice: Due to security, bags and packages may be subject to inspection. Please
avoid bringing pets, picnic tents, ice chests, BBQ grills. Tacoma Police will remove unattended
items or dangerous items. Firearms, explosives (including personal fireworks),
and alcohol are not permitted. Violators may be subject to arrest and prosecution.

~ Thoughts ??

Click to expand...

Can you link that Bat?
I have seen nothing like that.
There is no gate to go through and I was there last year and it is an open area... big crowds but open....

Link to Flier

The fine print is on the second page at bottom - in fine print of course.

http://www.freedomfair.com/documents/2010PierceTransitBrochure.pdf

I am also e-mailing the staff to ask how this is enforcable, and if they are using a city permit - what number.

Bat.
P.S.

Just wrote them to state:

Your brochure states:

Safety Notice: Due to security, bags and packages may be subject to inspection. Please

avoid bringing pets, picnic tents, ice chests, BBQ grills. Tacoma Police will remove unattended

items or dangerous items. Firearms, explosives (including personal fireworks),

and alcohol are not permitted. Violators may be subject to arrest and prosecution



- RE: Firearms, I am curious how this is legal to enforce if you are not using a city permit to host your event.

- If you are using a city permit, please provide a number or information for confirmation so that i may inform people that desire to carry legally can avoid uncomfortable circumstances.

- You are not listed as having a special event permit - http://www.cityoftacoma.org/Page.aspx?hid=5720 - That would put you under state preemption R.C.W. 9.41.290 "The state of Washington hereby fully occupies and preempts the entire field of firearms regulation within the boundaries of the state".

- Otherwise, if you are without a city permit to host the event, then you are unable to enforce a firearms ban, and need to notify local police of this correction, and ensure people are not illegaly arrested or prosecuted, as this could be a great liability situation.



Please respond with corrected info so that i may inform others that plan to attend.



Kindly.



"Concerned"

On the website there has been no mention of anything. I attended last year and there really are no gates. The 'admission' is voluntary and the streets are open to the public and have little restraints.

I'm at the southern most park area on Ruston Way with my girlfriend and others. I am CC for now.

TPD is walking around, but not often.

Getting down here, there are no gates. At the end of the night they walk people south and then west to get off of Ruston Way. Other than that, if TPD knows the law, there should be no issues.

swatspyder said:

I'm at the southern most park area on Ruston Way with my girlfriend and others. I am CC for now.

TPD is walking around, but not often.

Getting down here, there are no gates. At the end of the night they walk people south and then west to get off of Ruston Way. Other than that, if TPD knows the law, there should be no issues.

Click to expand...

Excellent... we are heading over a bit later....by 2pm

From where I am standing.

Airshow video live
http://qik.com/swatspyder/videos

Open carry is good to go. Talked to TPD and they confirmed that its ok

Dave

running a bit late to the 2pm meet up

call or txt me I am @ les davis now nick

My wife joined us today! Her first OC...at the FF2010!

When we were getting the family ready to head to the Freedom Fair, I was wearing my G19 & a double-mag pouch, openly, and my wife (who normally CC's a .380) asked if I was going to OC. I told her that I was, and she (who has never OCed before) said that she wanted to as well. I went and grabbed my other G19 and a Kramer belt scabbard for her. Not a bad day for her first OC, and we matched!

We arrived (with kiddos in tow in the stroller) at about 12:10 entering from the intersection of 30th & McCarver (near the Silver Cloud Inn), and walked all the way to the Lobster Shop area and back, passing NUMEROUS TPD and WSP on the way, without a word. We saw 69Charger on the way back, near Katie Downs and while we were talking a "wave" of about 5-6 Troopers walked past us, my strong side was directly towards them. A few feet after they passed, I could see that one of them was motioning to the Sergeant something about us, and the Sgt. was shaking his head and saying not to worry about it.

While my wife took our two oldest to the pirate ship to look around, I was approached by a gentleman named "Jay" and we talked for about 5 minutes about OC, CCW laws and training classes. He said that he wanted to get more into carrying concealed and even open, and usually just takes his revolver with him to go camping. It was a nice chat, and I hope to see him around these forums some time.

All-in-all, there were countless opportunities for LEO's to approach us, but they didn't. For those down there who are hesitant to take off their jackets.... GO FOR IT! It was my wife's first OC, you're not going to let her show you up, are ya?!

I'm going to the indian reservation for fireworks, might stop in and OC for a bit through the freedom fair.

Good time.

No prob with open carry today. This is a pic from Dukes Chowder house during the air show.

Wow!

What a great time!

My oldest daughter and I went over to the waterfront in Tacoma for 4 hours. This would be the largest crowd I have OC'd in and my SA was keenly aware of my surroundings. Video camera was rolling just in case. We walked and walked and walked by numerous LEO, right next to them and not even a word was said. My daughter was looking around and told me that only some of the LEO even noticed my Sig. We must of passed 60 or more LEO during our time walking Ruston Way.

We browsed the booths, bought some goodies, and enjoyed some of the food. Stopped by the GOP booth and looked through the buttons and bumper stickers. Chatted with one of the volunteers working the booth, he pointed out a popular bumper sticker: "You can keep your hope and change: I will keep my Guns, Religion, ...." We chuckled and then I twisted my torso and pointed out the holstered Sig. He responded, "Wow!" and we proceeded to talk a bit about open carry. His son OC's, but he was concerned about harassment. I explained that for the most part any harassment is non existent as by my choice to OC in such a large crowd with as many LEO present as there were.

Later, ran into 69Charger and chatted for a bit, he also had no problems.

Met up with Technoweenie later in the afternoon for a bit and we chatted not more than 10 feet from a group of 8 Tacoma PD officers for 10 minutes. They observed us and were probably more curious to see real OCers than anything. They never said a word to us, just a head nod when we finished our conversation and were on our way.

Also, had a couple of others stop me and shake my hand. Chatted a bit and left them with a pamphlet and an invitation to find ocdo.org and join the forum.

Not one single negative reaction in four hours in the crowd of over 10,000 people! What a great day for OC and I am sure that there were dozens and dozens of glimpses but no one ran screaming from Tacoma.

(any techies have a quick easy way to take my videos and shorten them so they fit on youtube?)

Batousaii said:

The fine print is on the second page at bottom - in fine print of course.

http://www.freedomfair.com/documents/2010PierceTransitBrochure.pdf

I am also e-mailing the staff to ask how this is enforcable, and if they are using a city permit - what number.

Click to expand...

Did you ever hear back from any of the staff? If not, you might try again now, I am sure they were super busy in the days leading up to the event. I know no one had any problems, but it would be interesting to hear what they had to say.