Washington police don't foresee arrests at anti-background check rally despite group's intentions

A group of gun owners plan to protest the recently passed universal background check initiative in Washington state, vowing to “break apart the legislation and violate I-594 in every possible way,” but police in the area don’t foresee making any arrests.

Demonstrators plan to bring their firearms to the state Capitol on Dec. 13 and openly exchange them — hand a gun to a friend, buy a gun, sell a gun — something critics say will directly violate the newly passed law.

I-594 takes effect Dec. 4, but since authorities will still be figuring out how to enforce the measure, they are not planning to break up the politically charged demonstration.

“We’ll give them the widest leeway we can to make their political point,” said Bob Calkins, spokesman for the Washington State Patrol.

“(This) is a very new law and we’re all still trying to learn how to interpret it,” he said.

I-594 requires background checks for all gun sales and transfers. Nearly 60 percent of voters passed it on election day.

More than 6,000 people said they’d attend the rally on the event’s Facebook page. It’s scheduled for Saturday, Dec. 13 at 11 a.m. at the Washington State Capitol building.

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