City of Bellingham, WA Proposes Banning Alcohol Sales, Gun Possession, Transfer, And Sales Amid Coronavirus Panic

Bellingham, WA, city council. From L to R: Michael Lilliquist, Pinky Vargas, Hollie Huthman, Mayor Seth Fleetwood, Gene Knutson, Daniel Hammill, Hannah Stone, Lisa Anderson

In response to the coronavirus hysteria, the city council of Bellingham, Washington, is proposing banning the possession, transfer, and carrying of firearms, as well as banning alcohol sales and closing the city streets to the public. This is on the agenda for their next meeting on Tuesday, March 23rd. 

Recall Bob Ferguson is in reference to the state Attorney General.

The emergency ordinance includes the following:

4.An order requiring the discontinuance of the sale, distribution, or giving away of alcoholic beverages in any or all parts of the city;

5.An order requiring the discontinuance of the sale, distribution, or giving away of firearms and/or ammunition for firearms in any or all parts of the city;

6.An order requiring the discontinuance of the sale, distribution, or giving away of gasoline or other liquid flammable or combustible products in any container other than a gasoline tank properly affixed to a motor vehicle;

7.An order requiring the closure of any or all business establishments where firearms and/or ammunition for firearms are sold or otherwise dispensed; provided, that with respect to those business establishments which are not primarily devoted to the sale of firearms and/or ammunition and in which such firearms and/or ammunition may be removed or made secure from possible seizure by the public, the portions thereof utilized for sale of items other than firearms and ammunition may, in the discretion of the mayor, be allowed to remain open;

8.An order closing to the public any or all public places, including streets, alleys, public ways, schools, parks, beaches, amusement areas, and public buildings;

9.An order prohibiting the carrying or possession of firearms or any instrument which is capable of producing bodily harm and which is carried or possessed with the intent to use the same to cause such harm; provided, that any such order shall not apply to peace officers or military personnel engaged in the performance of their official duties;

10.An order prohibiting the carrying, possession, and/or sale of explosives;

They are trying to say it would be unlawful for a resident to hand a firearm or a bullet to their significant other or family members. There are several obvious problems with this “ordinance.” Besides the obvious, Washington has a preemption law that forbids municipalities from regulating firearms. Plus, it’s already unlawful to carry a firearm with the “intent” to use it to cause harm. Does this ban include baseball bats and tree branches?

If someone is walking down the sidewalk on their way to the store to get food, or driving to the doctor, or riding a bike to check on their elderly grandmother, the person would apparently be in violation of this code. If someone needs gas for their chainsaw so they can cut wood to stay warm, the gas station would not legally be allowed to serve them.

If the city passes this, there will surely be lawsuits rising from it quickly.