Gun-rights advocates say Coliseum staff challenged free-speech rights
The Virginia Citizens Defense League is used to fighting for the right to carry guns.
But now it's having to defend the right to wear stickers about carrying guns.
The group says officials at the Richmond Coliseum recently attempted to stop members from handing out blaze-orange "Guns Save Lives" stickers before an appearance by radio and television talk-show host Glenn Beck.
"It's bad enough they're trying to trample the Second Amendment. Then you come and attack the First," President Philip Van Cleave said, referring to the U.S. Constitution's guarantees of the right to bear arms and to free speech.
Dolly Vogt, who manages the Coliseum as a regional general manager for SMG, did not respond to three messages Friday. Van Cleave described the incident and his group's concerns to the City Council on Monday. A city spokesman had no comment but said officials are looking into the matter.
Van Cleave said the confrontation occurred June 6 as guests were arriving to see Beck, a defender of guns-rights and other personal liberties. Group members were handing out stickers when Coliseum officials told them to stop and advised that stickers were banned from the city-owned venue, he said.
"Our people stood their ground, [saying] this is public, this is freedom of speech," Van Cleave said.
Then, Coliseum officials turned their attention to people who were wearing the stickers as they entered the building. "They had to throw the stickers away," he said. "They couldn't hide it."
Van Cleave said most people followed the instructions. He said the incident was particularly disturbing because other stickers were being worn into the show without any apparent objection.
"I think that kind of speaks for itself," he said. "It was about our sticker."
Rebecca K. Glenberg, legal director for the American Civil Liberties Union of Virginia, said members of Van Cleave's group were clearly within their rights if they were handing out stickers on public property. She said it's less clear whether Coliseum officials could ban stickers but added that any restriction would have to be enforced evenly and be reasonable in a way that's unrelated to content.
"They cannot prohibit stickers about guns while allowing stickers about other topics," she said.
Van Cleave suspects Coliseum officials are still chaffed from last month's challenge by group members that he said established that guns could be brought into the venue if carried openly or concealed with a permit.
"They didn't want to advertise that you could legally carry there," he said.
A list of banned items on the Coliseum's Web site includes laser pointers, backpacks and stickers; however, Van Cleave said his group determined through Internet searches that stickers were added after the Beck show.
He said the Virginia Citizens Defense League isn't looking to file a lawsuit or asking for an apology.
"We just want this policy changed and that be the end of it," he said.
Contact Will Jones at (804) 649-6911 or
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Reader Reactions
Obviously some folks have missed the point here. Freedom of speech is only for the viewpoints of the “Obama-nites” and their minions. Anything else is easily defined as hate mongering, offensive or ignorant. (Q) Why do I carry a gun? (A) Because I can’t carry a policeman. Nobody will ever know I have it until they absolutely have to. It’s been like that for me for over 30 years. There may never be a fire in my home, but I still keep a fire extinguisher too.
Fedup wrote: “Keep your prized sidearms at home when you come into town on trading day….“
Or what? What do you think you’re gonna do about it?
About 1 in 40 Virginians have a concealed carry permit. You probably come into contact with an armed citizen nearly every day and you don’t realize it.
Event staff was not composed of younger people. They were middle aged to senior adults doing exactly what was directed by their employer - SMG mgt.
Personal knowledge beats supposing - I was there and involved from the beginning.
“Event staff” at most events are youthful, often fairly poorly-educated, paid minimum wage, and inclined to be impressed with what authority they assume they have. Rather than being helpful to the public and vigilant for medical and other emergencies, too often they busy themselves trying to impress other young people, especially young women their age, with the authority. In my opinion, they have no business interfering in free speech matters. One wonders whether in today’s highly charged, political environment they were given instructions to disrupt the distribution of stickers.
In fairness, I have attended some cultural events in city-owned facilities where the ushers were older, mature, people who seems to be concerned with being helpful and effective.
Guns or no guns, going after people wearing non-obscene stickers is just bullying. Pure & simple. I can’t see how the city could possibly defend the Coliseum staff here. Stickers—with words.
asdf1234,
No, living in a free country means don’t attempt to infringe on my freedom. You may not like firearms, you may choose to not own one, that is your right. I will exercise my rights, as well. You don’t have to leave because we don’t agree. You are free to leave any time you like!
To fedup:
My God-given rights aren’t up for folks like you to debate whether or not they are valid. If you are uncomfortable living in a free society, I would suggest choosing from the many in the rest of the world that are not free. After all, you would be completely safe in, say, Iran, where you could speak freely without fear of bodily harm…uh, wait, maybe in China. There you could voice your concerns without…, well, maybe Cuba, yeah, that’s the ticket. No danger of living in fear there, uh… Oh well, I’m sure you’ll figure something out, after all, you’re intelligent and… I give up!
duh…..dis is a free country. dat means anybody disagrees wit me needs ta leave da U S of A!
me like guns
theobserver, no it is not legal in Richmond(or VA for that matter) to carry a concealed handgun into bars. I suggest that the “anti-gun crowd” do a little research on gun bans in cities like DC and Chicago. It is proven fact that when cities ban guns(in any way, shape, or form), violent crime rises.
Conceal and carry permit holders are among the most law-abiding citizens we have. They have to be or they cannot have the permit in the first place! Criminals will always find ways to get guns, so if you take away the rights of law-abiding citizens to own and carry guns for self-defense, you in essence open the floodgates for violent crime. Any police officer will tell you that criminals fear armed citizens a lot more than they fear the police.
If someone breaks into my house when I’m home they are going to get shot, period. The fact that there are other law-abiding, armed, and informed citizens such as myself living here in Richmond that will defend their lives with lethal force if necessary is what keeps crime rates as low as they are for the idiots like fedup who choose to be easy targets. If you want to be a sitting duck for crime thats fine by me, but please leave me and my constitutional rights alone!
“The pro-gun crowd is just another group of crazy conservatives—just like the pro-lifers who want to tell women how to live their lives.“
Yet, the pro-Obama/anti American socialist crowd who are telling us what energy we will use in our vehicles, what vehicles we will drive, who will own the vehicle manufacturers who make our vehicles, who will operate the vehicle manufacturers, who will treat us when we are sick, tell us where we will be treated when we are sick, tell us when we will be treated when we are on our death beds, is perfectly acceptable to weak sheep who roll over for control freaks who want to micromanage ever aspect of your life.
You can’t make this stuff up.
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