Advocates Prepare Lawsuit Against City Of Norman For Weapons Policy At Music Festival

An upcoming music festival in Norman has a metro gun rights organization preparing to file a lawsuit against the city.

The Oklahoma Second Amendment Association said festival organizers are prohibiting guns on festival grounds, and it's a rights violation.

Festival organizers stand behind their decision to prohibit guns on festival grounds, but the Oklahoma Second Amendment Association questions the legality of the festival's "no guns" policy.

“We don't feel that any person that is peacefully carrying a weapon should be harassed or arrested,” said Don Spencer.

Spencer, Vice Pres. of the Oklahoma Second Amendment Association said they've made it clear to the City of Norman they were going to take whatever action necessary.

Don said members of his organization learned about the "no guns" policy from the Norman Music Festival's website.

It clearly read, “DO NOT BRING weapons.”

“It's inconsistent with state law and it trumps the second amendment of the United States Constitution,” said Spencer.

The seven-page lawsuit, which has yet to be filed, asked that the City of Norman acknowledge state law and allow weapons by licensed carriers on festival grounds.

“And if that doesn't work, we're asking for the stoppage of the whole concert,” said Spencer.

The Norman Music Festival has been going strong since 2008.

The Norman Music Alliance released the following statement:

“The official policy of the Norman Music Alliance for the Norman Music Festival is to request customers not to carry guns on festival grounds.

Norman Music Alliance is certainly a supporter of every amendment to the Constitution.

In accordance with the agreement with the City of Norman, the Norman Music Alliance rents four city blocks in downtown Norman to hold the Norman Music Festival. Under that agreement, NMA qualifies under the business owner exemption law, Okla. Stat. tis. 21 sec 1290.22, that allows business owners to request customers not carry guns into their businesses.

Guns and alcohol do not mix well. The Norman Music Alliance does not want to put conceal carry music fans in danger of a felony charge because they carried in a place where low point beer is served. Okla. Stat. tit. 21 sec. 1272.1.

The board of the Norman Music Alliance feels that most of the fans that attend the Norman Music Festival would appreciate and request a weapon free festival and therefore it is the policy of the Norman Music Festival to ask gun owners and everyone to leave weapons in their vehicles and not bring them onto festival grounds.”

“We don't want the lawsuit, we just want them to acknowledge state law so that we can move forward,” said Spencer.

The association plans to file the lawsuit against the City of Norman Wednesday.

An attorney with the City of Norman said they are aware of the lawsuit and they will be prepared to respond to it as directed by the court.

The Norman Music Festival is scheduled to kick off on April 23.