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Anti-gun group wants Starbucks to prohibit customers from openly carrying guns in its California stores

An anti-gun group has launched an effort to urge Starbucks to prohibit customers from openly carrying guns in its California coffee shops.

The move comes in response to what officials with the Washington-based Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence said are recent brazen displays of handguns by gun enthusiasts at several California stores, which have frightened some customers and alarmed law enforcement officials.

“We think Starbucks should adopt a national policy not to allow guns to be openly carried at its stores,” said Peter Hamm, a spokesman for the Brady Campaign. “There have been a number of meetings of 'open carry' advocates at Starbucks.”

He said gun enthusiasts were intentionally targeting Starbucks coffee shops for their meetings and openly carrying their weapons strapped to their hips.

 "People tend to be unnerved by it,” Hamm said. “It makes them uncomfortable to see a group of men come into stores carrying firearms.”

In response to the gatherings, companies such as Peet's Coffee & Tea and California Pizza Kitchen have prohibited customers from openly carrying guns in their stores, Hamm said.

The Brady Campaign is encouraging Starbucks to follow suit and sent a letter Friday to the coffee giant's chairman and CEO, Howard Schultz, “asking him to change their policy,” Hamm said.

Representatives from Starbucks could not immediately be reached for comment.

-- Ann M. Simmons

Comments () | Archives (64)

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Don't these people have anything better to do?

Let me say it right now: if Starbucks does NOT ban this across the board, in all their stores, I will never walk near one again.

Gun nuts strung out on coffee. What a world. Gun violence is out of control. This country needs strong gun control now but the gun industry / lobby will fight tooth and nail to stop it. Put people before profits.

Maybe they can prohibit free speech while they are at it.

I go to the Starbucks at 1st and Los Angeles. I love that all the detectives and officers come in with their guns strapped on. No one is going to mess with you in my Starbucks!!!

IF they band it nation wide that not only bans the enthusiast from bringing there guns in. What about officers that have had to work doubles and need a pick me up from starbucks, and they need to carry there weapon while on duty so they would be violating a federal Law. That would be the same for the federal air Marshall's that protect our airports. This is because there are starbucks in the airports here in the washington DC area.

The Brady Campaign is not an "anti-gun" group. Labeling it as such is like calling the NAACP an "anti-white" group.

Another example of people being scared of what they don't understand

Here we go again with the anti-gun nuts. So they want to criminalize law abiding and responsible gun owners? Because they are like sheep and preferred to be unarmed and unprotected when they are victimized by thugs, spree killers and criminals? They think the cops are going to come to the rescue like on Adam 12? And then you wonder why crime is so high in your no longer lovely state?

No one your state is jacked!

Starbucks should follow Peet's lead and bar weapons from its restaurants unless carried by law enforcement. Not only is it Constitutional for Starbucks to bar weapons from its property but it is good business.

Even if the Supreme Court determines that the 2nd Amendment is incorporated by the 14th Amendment and applies to the states, the 2nd Amendment will not apply to people and private businesses who choose to bar them from property they possess. The 14th Amendment only applies to "state actors."

Although I believe everyone has a right to own a gun, I think business do the right thing by barring weapons from their establishments. Guns are inherently intimidating and threatening. Even if 99% of these guys (75+% of the open carry groups probably consist of men) are carrying unloaded guns, the average customer will not know that. Moreover, just because you carry a gun does not mean you know how to maintain or operate it. That doubly adds to the threat or intimidating nature of these guys' actions.

Moreover, the threat of criminals attacking, robbing, or raping you is vastly overstated. The majority of us go through life without ever becoming the victim of crimes against the person. Most murders are committed by people the victim knows. Robbery does not require a gun and is most often committed without one, although a gun does make it more convenient. This is even the case in places like California (where I live) that make it difficult to get a concealed weapons permit.

Here are the notices given by Peets and CPK



I would like to add that law enforcement, at least in urbanized California, does not encourage open carry.


Open carry advocates create a potentially very dangerous situation. When police are called to a “man with a gun” call they
location and are armed. Officers may have no idea that these people are simply “exercising their rights.” Consequently, the law
enforcement response is one of “hypervigilant urgency” in order to protect the public from an armed threat. Should the gun
carrying person fail to comply with a law enforcement instruction or move in a way that could be construed as threatening, the
police are forced to respond in kind for their own protection. It’s well and good in hindsight to say the gun carrier was simply
“exercising their rights” but the result could be deadly. Simply put, it is not recommended to openly carry firearms."

San Mateo County Sheriff’s Office
Lt. Ray Lunny, Public Information Officer
Release Date: January 14, 2010

Most county sheriff and large police departments have issued similar alerts regarding the danger posed by more people openly carrying guns.

What?!! Last I know carrying a weapon was against the law in most states, except maybe places like Texas. Thsi is absolutely outrageous and the California legislature and police forces need to put an immediate stop to this!

>“It makes them uncomfortable to see a group of men come into stores carrying >firearms.”

Apparently there is no issue with women carrying firearms in Starbucks.

California lets you carry a handgun out in the open?

Its important to note that as per state law the guns cannot be loaded, so in no way are these people able to say they are carrying them around for protection. Its absurd.

OK, how about a conceal and carry licenses for all qualified citizens?

There is something so very wrong about a country that considers gun ownership a right, and not health care.

What a bunch paranoid people. What do these anti-gun folks think is going to happen? These are RESPONSIBLE gun owners. You're probably safer sitting in that store with them than you are anywhere else. No trouble will break out because most criminals are cowards, and wouldn't want to risk a responsible citizen with a gun stopping them. If I have to buy my coffee next to someone who has actually killed their own child (or paid for it), then they can buy their coffee next to someone who is carrying around a piece of machinery. Where's the tolerance?

Well, I guess Starbucks never has to worry about getting robbed!

These people are lame.... As part of being an American and free to carry a gun.
Now why would I just take my gun JUST to Starbucks????

Would I not be wearing it around town????

Well I'll tell ya, pilgrim, it's a great day in America when a man can walk into a coffee house, honest like, with a piece on his hip & enjoy his morning java. :-)

If open carry is legal in California (and it is), BCPHV can dislike it all they want, but until Starbucks says "no", then meeting there is OK.

Interesting that the sight of the guns carried (actually holstered- carried in the hand might really be a cause for concern) is what bothers the objectors.

Consider that if the weapns were carried out of sight, the people would be in violation of the law if not in possession of a permit to carry a concealed weapon, and other than gangsters, it's not a violation that the average person wants to chalk up.

But the SIGHT of the guns is what bothers- it actually makes a difference as to WHO happens to be armed, but out of sight is not the issue really.

Well, the guns can't be loaded anyway unless somebody has some authorization like a sec. guard card, etc.

I'm not sure, but if a state has an "open carry" law, such as Georgia, I think it doesn't matter what the corporation/business/church, etc. wants; as long as you have a valid gun permit, you're permitted to carry your firearm in open sight.

Wow. A bunch of fat, stupid, impotent old men with guns. I think Starbucks should ban them on aesthetic grounds alone.

And how many people have been hurt, killed or injured to warrant this? Read the U.S. Constitution.

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