Federal judge dismisses challenge to Minnesota State Fair gun ban

A federal judge has dismissed a lawsuit filed by the Minnesota Gun Owners Caucus challenging the firearms ban on the grounds of the Minnesota State Fair.

The lawsuit, filed last year, argued that the ban violates the Second Amendment.

The caucus requested that valid permit carriers be allowed to carry guns onto the fairgrounds and the Ramsey County Sheriff’s Office be stopped from enforcing the ban.

In response, the State Agricultural Society, which hosts the State Fair, said the gun ban is needed to ensure everyone’s safety and moved to dismiss the lawsuit.

The challenge came after a separate battle in state court last year where the Gun Owners Caucus sought a temporary injunction to allow people with permits to carry guns at the 2021 Minnesota State Fair. A Ramsey County District Court judge denied that motion but said the group could still try to overturn the fair policy for future years.

In this latest challenge, U.S. District Court Judge John Tunheim granted the Agricultural Society’s motion to dismiss the lawsuit, saying the Gun Owners Caucus failed to show the Agricultural Society violated their constitutional rights and didn’t establish how the rule banning guns on the fairgrounds was illegal.

This year’s fair runs from Aug. 25 through Sept. 5.