Olmos Park’s City Council voted in a special meeting Thursday to repeal an ordinance that made it illegal for anyone other than a law enforcement officer to carry a loaded rifle or shotgun on any public street within the San Antonio municipality.
City Councilman Enzo Pellegrino told the Rivard Report that the ordinance change follows several interactions between open-carry gun activists and Olmos Park police officers, some of which have led to detainments and arrests.
Olmos Park police arrested CJ Grisham, founder and president of Open Carry Texas, on March 27 as he and others openly carried rifles on McCullough Avenue. A video of the arrest posted on YouTube appears to show Grisham being thrown to the ground by officers.
“He was suddenly, deliberately, and violently attacked by [Olmos Park Police Chief Rene Valenciano],” said Rick Briscoe, legislative director for Open Carry Texas, which advocates for the open carry of firearms in Texas. “He was tased, received head injuires, and a concussion.”
Briscoe said Grisham and others face a number of criminal charges related to the incident. Valenciano did not respond to repeated requests for comment, including several phone calls to the Olmos Park Police Department that went unanswered.
“The ordinance was always illegal,” Grisham stated in a Facebook post on Thursday.
The Olmos Park ordinance conflicted with Texas state law, which allows for the open carry of long rifles and shotguns. Since Jan. 1, 2016, it has been legal for Texas who have concealed-carry handgun licenses to openly carry handguns.
“It’s my personal belief that [the Olmos Park ordinance] is probably not going to be valid in court,” Pellegrino said. “The only thing that we did today was to really make sure that our ordinances were in line with state law.”
Pellegrino also said, however, that the state should provide guidance on whether openly carried weapons may be loaded.
Briscoe acknowledged that the repeal of the ordinance was “a good first step” towards compliance with the law, but said the city has “a great deal more to do to address the matter of, quite frankly, an overly aggressive, out-of-control police department.”
Briscoe told the Rivard Report that Open Carry Texas plans to hold an open-carry demonstration rally in Olmos Park on April 7 at noon.
“It’s our intention to peacefully and lawfully exercise our rights in Olmos Park to indicate that we wish the City to obey the law, because we do,” Briscoe said.
The city of Olmos Park will likely be sued for their unlawful activity via 42 USC 1983 which provides for damages, injunctive relief, and attorney fee shifting.
Lean more at OpenCarry.org. And carry on!
I guess you guys have nothing better to do than protest in an area where you don’t live… sad.
Yep, see you on April 7th @ noon, all residents welcome!!!!
Us residents have far better things to do with our Saturdays than watch you make fools of yourselves. Enjoy!
People like you don’t know what true freedom and liberty is, that’s a shame!
Oh Donald Rutledge, most rational people don’t feel like their liberties are being violated when they can’t walk around with loaded AR15s. But then again, we all know what you’re compensating for. The longer the weapon the smaller the…
Well I hope that “Us residents” have deep pockets because YOU will be paying for what YOUR police department did. It doesn’t matter to them, and they likely won’t even get a slap on the wrist. But YOU the residents will be paying for decades, or the offended can foreclose on you public property to collect what is owed to these “Non-Residents”. Despicable. If you represent the views or your community then you definitely deserve what is coming to you. We that you for your hard earned money.
what are “us residents”?
If I recall correctly, most of the participants in the recent march in Washington, D.C. were not residents of the district.
Every Citizen is subject to the Laws of The State …
To emphasize how far the legislature has taken the second amendment, I think it would be interesting if a group of as many people as possible with open carry permits dressed in military gear exposing their automatic rifles and pistols while marching up and down the Riverwalk especially during the final four. It would be interesting to see the reactions.
I think it would be interesting if people with no knowledge of firearms would take a little time to educate themselves before commenting. Automatic rifles are extremely rare and highly regulated.
Then just parade around with rifles and pistols. Same effect.
I think making it ileegal to carry bullets is brilliant. Carry your guns all you want, but you can’t have any bullets!
Spoken like a true liberal scumbag who hates the Constitution.
Do you honestly think that would withstand scrutiny? It’s a ridiculous proposition.
The most true statement in the article: ” “a great deal more to do to address the matter of, quite frankly, an overly aggressive, out-of-control police department.”
The supreme court has warned law enforcement that it will likely overrule “Qualified Immunity” in cases like this. And in this can I hope they do, all of the officers involved belong in jail next to the “real criminals” they are. I applaud people like this standing up to out of control police in the united states. I for one think it’s about time they are taken down a peg, or ten.
I agree! I watched the video of this incident and the Police officers were what I consider very aggressive and out of control. Really I would classify it as tyrannical behavior.
Why would the city put itself in such an untenable position with an obviously unlawful ordinance? Is there insurance in place to cover damages the city will incur by reason of the out of control council and police? Does it have an exclusion for arbitrary acts not taken in good faith?
It seems ludicrous that Olmos Park is willing to relax its stance on carrying guns in public, but the city refuses to comply with the San Antonio “cite and release” policies with respect to cannabis possession.
Citizens walking McCullough with AR-15s in their possession? No problem. Citizens spotted with a couple joints in their pocket? Off to jail!
I realize that the city modified its gun policy in order to comply with state law, so the situations are not identical, but it is still very frustrating.
Olmos Park is not a subdivision of San Antonio, but a distinct political entity.
Freedom to be an idiot is what the Texas legislature has enshrined with their long-gun open-cary laws… have fun looking stupid parading up and down the streets of Olmos Park with shotguns and AR-15’s in tow! We get it… you like your guns and want to rub it everyone’s face. I support the 2nd Amendment but have no desire to walk around town with my guns out for the world to see. It all just seems kinda stupid to me, but to each his own I guess.
Admittedly, the OPPD reacted in an overzealous manner, but wouldn’t the same people carrying their guns out in the open probably support a similar reaction had it been a black man with pants halfway down, gold teeth, and a couple teardrop tattoos on his face?
Sadly, these “protestors” have no idea of what a worthwhile cause actually is. They have found meaning in their pathetic little existence by waving guns instead of any truly courageous endeavor. The world needs heroes, not petty wannabes. We are endangered by these foolish pawns, not just by the firearms, but by their inability to reason and willingness to follow stupidly anyone who pulls their strings.
How long have shotguns and rifles been allowed to be open carried in Texas? The legislation passed in 2015 dealt with handguns.
It is already lawful to carry long guns without a permit in Texas and has been for over a hundred years.
Ok…if i am reading this all correctly…this is no longer about “long guns”…this has become a personal vendetta against our Olmos Park Policemen…I would personally like to knowWHO was the person that decided to decend on our quiet peaceful city…WHEN it was decided to happen…and WHY we were the chosen city…also…where arethe other cities are…how are these OUTSIDERS being received..and after they leave Olmos Park…where is thei immediate next destination of disruption…so…if this is now strictly about our policeforce…then there is NO REASONfor any rallies…etc..yall are free to move on…these are OUR policemen…this is Our CITY…and there is NOTHING remaining here of any interest for any of you PLEASE LEAVE OUR PEACEFUL CITY AS YOU FOUND IT….thank you…
Your peaceful city was abusing people lawfully carrying firearms in violation of State Law and The Texas Constitution.
That is why the city was “targeted” for the protest and why they will either lose badly in civil court and why the officers should be arrested and prosecuted for aggravated assault starting with the Chief of Police.
I’m not a fan of OCT’s movement or how they operate but I’m even less tolerant of police that feel they are above the law and free to act directly in contravention to the laws and constitutions they are sworn to uphold.
When a government breaks the law and arrests people for perfectly lawful activity, then it is inviting the people to stand up to it, and peaceful protest is how that is done. The fact that you are indignant about people standing up for their rights, and you are supporting tyrannical law enforcement, says a great deal about what type of person you are. I’m sure that if you don’t support your cops ability to handle “unwanted” people like this, the next thing you know all sorts of colored people will be sitting at your lunch counters.
It is already lawful to carry long guns openly in Texas and has been for a hundred years. No permit is required.
The Olmos ordnance was a violation of Texas law which is why they have since rescinded it.
It’s kinda obvious – the Olmos Park police department and it’s chief are criminals.
People that are making comments about the protesters not being in the right are dumb. The topic of guns aside, there are sooo many loopholes in the law where cops act unlawfully and get away with it because its covered up. This protest was not a “gun” protest per say. This was cops trying to abuse their power, and the resistance movement is not just dealing with guns. People are now catching things like traffic stops that are illegal on camera / live feeds etc.. Cops haven’t become too powerful, they have just become power abusers.
I live in a nearby community of San Antonio, you people in Olmos Park don’t have any reason to be concerned with me boycotting your town for any reason at all. I have learned to go completely out of my way to avoid going into your town for any reason. But I will be watching the news and taking particular delight in seeing the result of court orders and hearing the reports of law suits and police dept firings within your town.
Does anyone else find it fascinating? These brilliant people provoke the law and order police who want to keep its citizens safe. How ironic, that this will probably fuel and lead to attacks on the 2nd amendment. Looks like the anti second amendment special interest groups have a new “Hero” (and video). Thanks for nothing !!!
Provoke the police? Is that even possible? You’re either a criminal or you’re not. “Provocation” has nothing to do with it…
Or it shouldn’t, anyway. Welcome to Clown World, honk honk!