Gun Show Ads Near School Spur Action

In the wake of residents’ complaints about gun show advertisements near a school, Oxnard officials will discuss a report Tuesday that discusses ways to regulate temporary signs.

Mario Pech, a junior at Oxnard High School, decided to take a stand when he noticed signs about a gun show set for this weekend in Oxnard across the street from his school.

Earlier this week, 17-year-old Mario went before the City Council, urging city leaders to find a way to shut down the private show.

“I think it is kind of insensitive for the city to allow a gun show right now, seeing that there is all this gun violence,” Mario said. Mario’s brother was slain last March, authorities said, after two men broke into his house and shot him. “These people who want these gun shows, they are just going to sell guns to somebody.”

Six people have been killed in Oxnard since the beginning of January.

The gun show is still scheduled to go on at the Oxnard Civic Center.

Gary Gillig, Oxnard’s city attorney, said he believes the city can refuse to lease a city building to a commercial interest “as long as it is not a First Amendment-protected activity and, in my opinion, gun shows are not.”

The report to be discussed Tuesday says the city can ban all signs on city property.

The city can also prohibit signs that advertise a product or service on private property if the property is not where that product or service is sold, the report states.

The report concludes that the city, with some limitations, can adopt an ordinance that would address the gun-show sign issue.

Residents said the advertisements posted near Oxnard High, which is located in an unincorporated county area, were removed after they contacted school and county officials.