PROVIDENCE, R.I. - Supporters and opponents of gun control expressed frustration Tuesday, as some 70 people were prevented from attending a State House press conference where Governor Chafee and Democratic leaders unveiled their long-awaited gun control package.
Officials said the event was reserved for media and lawmakers and directed the crowd to a vestibule where they could watch on TV. Many complained the volume was too low; others left.
Gary Whitney, of Richmond, was not convinced the proposals would work. "You can't stop them with a stack of paper," he said. "Guns in the hands of good people. That's what saves lives."
Michael Luciano, a Cranston resident who wore a National Rifle Association shirt, agreed: "Does anyone really think that a restriction on magazines or firearms in general is going to stop criminals from acting out? If people want to wreak havoc in this society, they will."
Gun control supporters included Laura Carlson, of East Greenwich. "It's a start," she said. "It's not just about Sandy Hook and mass murders. It's also about street violence. It's also about our communities."