The Seattle Post-Intelligencer on Mayor Nickles's executive order to keep concealed weapons off of Seattle city property:

Mayor Greg Nickels' plan to forbid guns on a host of city properties is a measured response to the gunshot injuries to two people at Seattle Center during the Folklife celebration.

The mayor knows his effort could provoke a challenge. Reasonable advocates of gun rights have pointed out state law generally pre-empts the ability of cities to impose additional firearms measures.

But this is an executive order to city departments and much more limited than a new law. The city would ask people legally carrying concealed weapons not to bring the guns into city parks, community centers and other city facilities. Anyone discovered with a gun could be asked to leave under trespassing statutes.

If it's not possible for the city to exercise such limited control, it certainly should be. There should be latitude for property owners, including public ones, to post any place as not permitting guns.

The mayor has been right to ask the Legislature to fix a loophole allowing gun show weapons sales without the normal background checks on purchasers. We also wonder about current state law and the ability of the owner of the gun at Folklife to receive a weapons permit despite a lengthy juvenile arrest record.

If there's a legal fight over Nickels' measure, so be it. He represents his city well on the issue.