The groups go further and say Lower Merion’s ordinance is ambiguous and it at least gives the impression that open carrying of guns in parks is illegal.Īccording to Joshua Prince, an attorney with the Firearms Industry Consulting Group, Lower Merion’s current ordinance violates the state crimes code. The groups sponsoring Sunday’s rally say the township ordinance violates state law that prohibits local governments from enacting stricter gun laws than the state has on its books.

Under Lower Merion’s code, a provision states, “No person, except authorized members of the Police Department, shall carry or discharge firearms of any kind in a park without a special permit, unless exempted.” The comments came Sunday afternoon as gun owners from around the Philadelphia region gathered at Bala Cynwyd Park, primarily at a small parking lot near the Cynwyd Heritage Trail, to protest what they call an illegal law in Lower Merion that prevents, or at least gives the impression that, it is illegal to openly carry guns in township parks. Members of two groups supporting the right to carry firearms in parks said Sunday they intend to file a lawsuit against Lower Merion Township and an attorney is demanding criminal charges be brought against township officials, for what they say is a clear violation of state law.

Lower merion township ordinances