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Federal Appeals Court Upholds Lower Court: No Guns At Atlanta Hartsfield Airport

Mar 12, 2009

Washington, D.C. - A federal appeals court has ruled that the Georgia Legislature can’t force Atlanta’s Hartsfield International Airport to allow people to carry concealed weapons on airport property.  

The United States Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit upheld a lower court decision that the City of Atlanta was entitled to prohibit visitors from carrying concealed firearms in its international airport.  The Court accepted arguments made by the Brady Center in an amicus brief it filed, along with Georgians For Gun Safety.  

A gun lobby group, georgiacarry.org, had sued suit to force concealed guns into the airport, over the objections of the city.  In September of last year, U.S. District Judge Marvin Shoob ruled in favor of the city, and in his opinion he scolded the gun lobby for ‘misleadingly’ making its case.

“The Court’s decision was right on the law, and sound policy,” said Jonathan Lowy, Director of the Legal Action Project of the Brady Center.  “The gun lobby’s campaign to inject guns into every place in our society - of which this lawsuit was a part - poses a danger to citizens, communities, and law enforcement.”

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The Brady Campaign is the nation's largest citizens' lobby to prevent gun violence. We represent the voice of the overwhelming majority of Americans who are tired of living with the constant tragedy of gun violence and are in favor of strong laws and policies that will save lives. We are the light that exposes politicians who are putting the American people at risk, empowering the American people to hold them accountable for decisions and actions that undermine public safety.

We are driven by the focused vision of a nation where all Americans are safe at home, at work, at school, and in our communities.

Dan Gross is the President of the Brady Campaign and the Brady Center to Prevent Gun Violence. A photo and more information about Dan Gross is available here.

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