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The Justice Department announced Tuesday that it has filed a lawsuit against the city of Denver, Colorado, “alleging that the City unconstitutionally bans certain constitutionally protected semi-automatic rifles.”
“These laws unconstitutionally infringe on the Second Amendment rights of law-abiding citizens to keep and bear arms in common use for lawful purposes,” according to the Justice Department.
“The Constitution is not a suggestion and the Second Amendment is not a second-class right,” Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said in a statement. “Denver’s ban on commonly owned semi-automatic rifles directly violates the right to bear arms. This Department of Justice will vigorously defend the liberties of law-abiding citizens nationwide.”
The DOJ said, “As the complaint explains, the City enforces an ordinance that makes it a crime to possess so-called ‘assault weapons.’”
A Bush Master AR15 assault rifle is displayed at a store in Aurora, Colorado. (Joshua Lott/Getty Images)
“But that the City’s ban includes AR-15-style rifles, which are the most popular rifles in America. Law-abiding Americans own tens of millions of rifles like those banned by the City,” the DOJ added.
This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.