Despite a petition with more than 43,000 signatures, the Secret Service said Monday firearms will not be allowed at the Republican National Convention this summer.
A recent
Change.org petition tried to allow convention attendees with a legal permit to openly carry their guns at the July 18-21 event at Cleveland's Quicken Loans Arena. Ohio is an open carry state, but arena rules ban firearms with the exception of police.
The Secret Service, which will spearhead the event's security, weighed in on the matter Monday.
"Individuals determined to be carrying firearms will not be allowed past a predetermined outer perimeter checkpoint, regardless of whether they possess a ticket to the event," spokesman Rob Hoback said,
reports CBS News.
Only security personnel will be allowed to be armed inside the checkpoints.
Donald Trump, the leading Republican candidate for president, addressed the petition Sunday by spinning it into a Second Amendment discussion.
"I'm a very, very strong person for the
Second Amendment," Trump said. "I think very few people are stronger. I have to see the petition. I'm not going to comment to you when I haven't seen it.
"I don't want to forget the petition, because you're talking about a petition. I will take a look at it. It's the first I hear about it — of it, and frankly, nobody is stronger on the Second Amendment than me."
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