Around 80 people carried signs, American flags and firearms and listened to speeches in Bala Cynwyd Park in Lower Merion township.
Few dozen people out at bala cynwyd park for gun rights rally pic.twitter.com/F0ef84VL6Z
— rich ilgenfritz (@rpilgenfritz) March 15, 2015
The event was billed as family friendly and was intended to draw between 280 and 480 to turn out.
Gun law rally…Bala Cynwyd, Pa. I found it disturbing. pic.twitter.com/EuvktqhSe4
— Janet Powell Dailey (@JanetWarmwind) March 15, 2015
"We're all here because we believe that real patriotism is a willingness to challenge the government when it's wrong," said Steve Piotrowski of Citizens for Liberty when he addressed the crowd.
Scenes from today's pro 2nd Amendment rally in Bala Cynwyd. @NewsWorksWHYY pic.twitter.com/pA6VXzKicE
— Brad Larrison (@BradLarrison) March 15, 2015
The rally kicked off with the Pledge of Allegiance which was followed by a moment of silence for an officer who was killed in the line of duty on March 5 during a robbery.
The township's rule does not ban legal guns from parks. However, the rally organizers say the ordinance is illegal under Pennsylvania state law.
Gun rights supporters rally in suburban Philadelphia: BALA CYNWYD, Pa. (AP) — Some… http://t.co/deNLXQelhc #news pic.twitter.com/IxOu0Z1T7Q
— MyInforms USA (@Myinforms_EN) March 15, 2015
Last year, a bill passed strengthening state preemption of municipal gun ordinances. Many municipalities repealed their gun regulations but Lower Merion officials say that their law is not affected by the change.
