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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Gun activists defy federal firearms ban

Gun-rights activist Anthony Bosworth addresses a crowd of demonstrators defying a federal firearms ban outside the U.S. Courthouse in downtown Spokane on Friday, March 6, 2015. Bosworth was arrested Feb. 25 outside the courthouse after refusing to leave the plaza while armed with a rifle and pistol. (Jesse Tinsley)
Gun-rights activists defied a federal ban on firearms in the U.S. Courthouse plaza in downtown Spokane Friday, but no arrests were made. The rally, prompted by the Feb. 25 arrest of activist Anthony Bosworth, an Iraq War veteran from Yakima, drew about 50 demonstrators, many carrying semi-automatic rifles slung over their shoulders and waving flags. Just a day earlier, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for Eastern Washington announced that a federal judge had extended a firearms ban for the federal courthouse to the grounds surrounding the federal building and the U.S. Post Office next door. On Friday, Bosworth approached the front doors of the courthouse with another armed demonstrator, followed by dozens of rally attendees armed with rifles, pistols, knives and even swords. Rally organizer Sam Wilson said he drove from Everett Friday morning because he believes the country is at a crossroad with freedom at stake. He helped lead the march to the courthouse and later said “we stood up for ourselves and our rights … And they backed down.” Federal police with the Department of Homeland Security spoke with Bosworth and asked the crowd to hold their assembly off to the side of the front doors to keep the entrance to the courthouse clear for people with government business. The same federal agent who arrested Bosworth last week for carrying his AK-47 rifle and a 9mm pistol on the plaza had a polite conversation with Bosworth and the crowd, defusing tensions instead of prompting mass arrests. Mike Ormsby, U.S. Attorney for Eastern Washington, said after the rally that he didn’t want to speculate about the actions of federal police in determining how to enforce the judge’s order. Law enforcement agents are given discretion as to how they want to enforce the court’s directions, he said. “Everyone that gets pulled over in a traffic stop doesn’t get a ticket,” he said. Bosworth’s wife videotaped the Feb. 25 encounter between her husband and the federal agents and it was widely shared online by gun activists. Agents cited Bosworth for failing to comply with the directions of federal police officers, a misdemeanor. His firearms were confiscated by authorities. Bosworth ran for Yakima County Sheriff last year finishing 5th out of 6 candidates in the primary. On Friday, he discussed his arrest and an FBI interrogation. He said he spent six hours in custody. He called people at the rally supporting him patriots with the same day-to-day lives as most people. “We’re just like you,” he said, adding, “maybe better organized.”