PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — The Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas has blocked the city from enforcing an executive order to ban guns and other deadly weapons at recreation centers less than a week after Mayor Jim Kenney signed it.
The ban included all Philadelphia Parks and Recreation buildings, pools, playgrounds and athletic courts and fields, with an exception for law enforcement and certain security professionals.
Judge Joshua Roberts granted a permanent injunction against the executive order, after Gun Owners of America, a lobbying group based in Virginia, filed a motion to request it.
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Roberts ruled that state law prohibits the city from regulating ownership, possession, transfer or transportation of firearms. The city had argued that, in banning firearms at rec centers, it was simply regulating conduct on its own property — much as hospitals or sports venue owners do. The judge ruled, without explanation, this was not a case where the city could institute regulations in its capacity as a property owner.
GOA announced the judge’s order Monday on social media.
Gun owners of America posted a statement on Twitter from Val Finnell, director or GOA Pennsylvania, saying, “All of the anti-gun municipalities need to take a lesson from this: Gun Owners of America is not going to tolerate your illegal bans for one minute. We stopped Mayor Kenney in less than a week, and we will do the same to you.”
City officials said the order is disappointing, and they are studying it, but they have not yet made a decision as to whether they will appeal. They said 300 gun violence incidents have occurred at rec centers since 2019.
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The mayor’s order came the day after funeral services for Tiffany Fletcher, a Parks and Recreation employee who was hit by a stray bullet while working at the Mill Creek Rec Center in West Philadelphia on Sept. 9. A 14-year-old boy, arrested days later, is facing murder charges.
Finnell told KYW Newsradio that Kenney’s executive order would have made violence at rec centers worse.
“It would not stop criminals at all from preying on people. As a matter of fact, it would make it worse because now everyone would have a target on their back because they wouldn’t be able to carry in the park,” he said.
The order faced early criticism from City Councilmember David Oh, who contrasted it with District Attorney Larry Krasner's philosophy of prosecuting fewer illegal gun violations.
Krasner said the executive order would allow people with guns, even those who can legally carry them, to be charged with trespassing.
“Exactly how that will play out in the individual case, we will see,” said Krasner. “But let me be clear: Even if you have a permit to carry and you go on those premises, then you have a problem with me.”
The city has seen more than 400 homicides so far this year, according to police data.
KYW Newsradio's Tim Jimenez contributed to this report.