CHESAPEAKE, Va. (WAVY) — The City of Chesapeake announced Wednesday it was planning to make special arrangement for larger-than-normal crowds at its Dec. 10 meeting.
Crowds plan to attend the Chesapeake meeting in support of the locality becoming a Second Amendment sanctuary, a topic that’s popped up at more than two dozen local government meetings in Virginia recently.
Chesapeake council member Robert Ike has proposed a Second Amendment sanctuary resolution, which is included on the regular meeting agenda.
Most of the locality Second Amendment resolutions being pushed by gun rights activists include phrasing promising not to use public resources, such as law enforcement, to enforce unconstitutional gun laws.
The Chesapeake resolution, on the other hand, does not include such as section.
Dec. 10 is going to be City Council’s work session and regular monthly meeting. No public input is taken during work sessions, but the public can attend.
Public seating will be in the City Council Chambers, on the first floor of City Hall, 306 Cedar Road. The chambers will open at 4:15 p.m. ahead of the 4:45 p.m. meeting.
The chambers will be cleared after the work session and closed. They will reopen at 6 p.m ahead of the 6:30 p.m. regular meeting.
Speakers at the regular meeting must register before 6:30 p.m.
The meeting will also be live at www.CityOfChesapeake.net/TV or on Chesapeake Television on Cox 48/Verizon 43.
Seating in City Council Chambers will be first-come, first-serve.
“Chesapeake Fire Marshals will monitor attendance and will restrict access to the Chambers, once the permitted capacity has been reached,” the city said.
Additional video and audio coverage of the meeting will be in the lobby of City Hall, with limited seating available. Fire marshals will also monitor this area.
If crowd numbers warrant it, fire marshals may restrict access to the building.
The announcement comes one day after hundreds crowded City Hall in Virginia Beach, despite no gun law-related items being on the agenda.
By 6:30 p.m. the crowd had swelled to the point that both the Virginia Beach Sheriff’s Office and police department were on-scene to close the road down in front of City Hall.
10 On Your Side was unable to hear who spoke before Virginia Beach City Council Tuesday because of capacity and “open mic night” comments are not recorded. However, we do know one of the speakers was Vincent Smith, Division Manager for the Virginia Beach Department of Public Works, who spearheaded the request. He also has created a petition calling for a change in a policy that prohibits city employees from having guns at work.
Suffolk City Council also heard from numerous people about becoming a Second Amendment sanctuary Wednesday during its meeting.
Forty minutes before Suffolk City Council’s meeting began Wednesday night, the chambers were already filled to the max with 150 people. By the time the meeting began, about 450 additional people filled the lobby and dozens more had to stand outside.
The majority of people were wearing orange stickers that said “Guns Save Lives,” and applauded loudly as speakers passionately asked council members to push back against new proposed state gun laws.
Council did not take action on any Second Amendment issues Wednesday.
