Cleveland Outlaws Assault Weapons
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CLEVELAND — The City Council voted unanimously on Friday to ban the sale or possession of so-called assault weapons.
It also approved the purchase for police of 500 pistols capable of firing up to 16 rounds without reloading.
The assault weapons ban will apply to several types, including semiautomatic rifles that hold clips of 20 or more rounds and certain semiautomatic shotguns and modified handguns, council members said.
The Cleveland ordinance is similar to proposals in California that are being fought by the National Rifle Assn. and other groups.
There was no expressed NRA opposition to the Cleveland ban, perhaps because the group was unaware of it, council members suggested.
“We have no obligation to inform the NRA of what we are going to do,” council President George Forbes said. “While they were watching California . . . we were passing an ordinance S that is going to be very effective.”
Under the new law, collectors of the assault weapons may keep them only if the guns are rendered inoperable.
People found possessing any of the firearms within the city will be fined $1,000.
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