Libertarian Party Sues Three Cities in Kansas Over Open Carry Bans - KansasCity.com

They had planned to file the same day as the Newtown Massacre, but decided to wait.

Lawsuits were filed Friday against two Johnson County cities and the Unified Government of Wyandotte County and Kansas City, Kan., alleging they are violating citizens’ constitutional rights by banning the open carry of firearms.

The Libertarian Party of Kansas filed suits against Prairie Village, Leawood and the Unified Government, seeking injunctions to prevent them from enforcing their bans.

“The denial of inherent truth will not stand!” party officials said in a written statement Friday. “Our efforts will continue until all law-abiding citizens in Kansas have freedom from persecution to exercise their Second Amendment rights to bear arms by open carry.”

Only four local governments in Kansas ban the open carry of firearms in public, according to Libertarian Party officials.

The party said it did not sue the fourth city, Lenexa, because city officials recently notified them that they would “like to discuss a path toward compromise,” according to a written statement. Lenexa city officials were not available for comment Friday afternoon.

Libertarian Party officials had intended to file the suits a week earlier, on what turned out to be the day of the Connecticut school shooting. But party officials announced a delay due to “unforeseen circumstances.”

The suits filed Friday quote part of the Kansas Constitution that states, “A person has the right to keep and bear arms for the defense of self, family, home and state, for lawful hunting and recreational use, and for any other lawful purpose.”