AUSTIN, Texas (GunReports.com)–An article on Infowars.com asserts that the BATFE pressured a monthly gun show in Austin to force attending private sellers to run background checks on buyers or be shut down.
Darwin Boedeker of Texas Gun Shows provided details of the effort by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (BATFE) and the Austin police, which shut down the show in mid-January, according to the Infowars.com article.
Excerpts from the Infowars.com article follow:
The BATF pressured lease holders HEB to shut down the oldest gun show in central Texas.
On Thursday, January 14, Mr. Boedeker was asked to meet with representatives of the ATF and Austin police at a building in Austin used for police interviews and interrogations. In addition to Boedeker, the two-hour meeting included the participation of HEB, an Austin grocery retailer. HEB holds the lease on the building where the Texas Gun Shows events are held on the third week of every month.
Police, under the direction of ATF, told Boedeker he would be required to follow their “recommendations” or they would close down his event. Boedeker said he was told “you do what we say or we shut you down.” He said the ultimatum was recorded by the police and ATF.
Mr. Boedeker indicated enforcing the ATF recommendations would destroy his business. He said he would not issue a public notice unless it indicated the so-called recommendations were issued by the Austin Police and the ATF.
In order to make their case, the ATF and APD cited numerous alleged criminal cases associated with a previous gun show organizer. Mr. Boedeker said the ATF and APD did not seem aware that he is not associated with previous gun show events at the location.
Mr. Boedeker said he is far down on the “totem pole” of gun show events and he believes this is why the police under the direction of the ATF engaged in criminal racketeering against him.
Mr. Boedeker’s flier [sic] issued under government coercion and the demand of the event center building lease holder states:
“At the direction of the Austin Police Department and the The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms anyone selling a firearm at this show location will be asked to comply with the following:
- Any person selling a personal firearm must go through a licensed FFL Dealer in the show to transfer the firearm to the new owner.
- Selling of Firearms in the parking lot will not be permitted.
Thank you for your cooperation!”
Police officers dressed in street clothes attended the event and watched participants, according to Mr. Boedeker. The police admitted to him they are interested in forcing gun shows to provide background checks on buyers.
Here’s the Austin Police Department’s statement about the situation:
Here’s the link for Texas Gun Shows, with several links to other sources:
