ADVERTISEMENT

San Francisco City Council Declares NRA 'Domestic Terrorist Organization'

NRA 'spreads propaganda that misinforms and aims to deceive the public'

A billboard next to the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge calls for impeaching the president / Getty Images
September 4, 2019

San Francisco's Board of Supervisors passed a resolution Tuesday declaring the National Rifle Association a "domestic terrorist organization."

The resolution accuses the organization of using "its considerable wealth and organizational strength to promote gun ownership and incite gun owners to acts of violence." It also cites "an epidemic of gun violence" in the United States, specifically mentioning the July shooting at the Gilroy Garlic Festival that killed three people, including two children.

"The National Rifle Association spreads propaganda that misinforms and aims to deceive the public about the dangers of gun violence," the resolution states. "The National Rifle Association through its advocacy has armed those individuals who would and have committed acts of terrorism."

The resolution concludes by declaring the NRA a domestic terrorist organization and states that the city and county of San Francisco will limit the business its vendors and contractors do with the NRA.

Catherine Stefani, the supervisor of the city's District 2, wrote the resolution after the Gilroy shooting, according to Fox affiliate KTVU 2.

"The NRA has it coming to them, and I will do everything that I possibly can to call them out on what they are, which is a domestic terrorist organization," she told the outlet.

She told KQED that gun-rights slogans such as "I'll give you my gun when you pry it from my cold, dead hands" are saying that "reasoned debate about public safety should be met with violence."

The NRA blasted the resolution as a "ludicrous stunt" and criticized it for distracting from the city's other issues, such as "rampant homelessness, drug abuse and skyrocketing petty crime."

The organization has been experiencing internal turmoil after allegations of financial misconduct became public. Three NRA board members resigned over complaints that leadership "stonewalled" investigations into the misconduct, which "shattered" their faith in the organization's management.