Denver Bans Assault Guns in City, County

The City Council, amid protests from hundreds of residents, on Tuesday passed an ordinance to ban assault-style semiautomatic firearms from the city and county.

Tom Gleason, speaking for Mayor Federico Pena, said the measure would take effect as soon as Pena signs it and it is published, probably next week.

The law carries penalties of $500 to $999 in fines and from 10 to 120 days in jail.

Residents who already own weapons of the forbidden type will be allowed to keep them but must register them within 60 days.

Dennis Martin, president of the American Federation of Police, opposed the ban.

“Recent research has opened new evidence that an armed public has and is a powerful deterrent to crime,” Martin said. “Offenders do recognize the gun owner as a potential threat to their well-being.”

Councilwoman Cathy Reynolds said: “Criminals are going to behave like criminals. We have, however, made a small step to give police a tool--to confiscate what we now publicly consider anti-social weapons when they are found in the course of their work--and we have sent a message that these particular semiautomatic weapons are not welcome in the city and county of Denver.”

Before the vote, opponents of the restriction picketed outside the council chambers with signs reading: “Ban liberals, not firearms.”

More than 700 people packed a public hearing in the City and County Building before the council passed the ordinance, just after midnight, on a vote of 9 to 4.