Dallas — Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton filed a lawsuit Thursday seeking to block a gun ban at the Texas State Fair, one of the state’s largest annual festivals.
Fair organizers announced the ban earlier this month after a mass shooting last year at the 277-acre (112-hectare) fairgrounds in downtown Dallas. The move drew immediate criticism from Republican state lawmakers who have proudly expanded gun rights in recent years. Paxton, a Republican, threatened to sue if the ban was not lifted.
Paxton said Texas allows gun owners to carry firearms on government-owned or leased property unless prohibited by law. Fair Park is owned by the city of Dallas, which contracts with the Texas State Fair to manage the annual fair.
Paxton called the ban an unlawful restriction on gun owners’ rights. Texas allows people to carry handguns without a license, identification or training.
“Neither the city of Dallas nor the Texas State Fair have the right to infringe upon the self-defense rights of Texans,” Paxton said.
City and state fair officials did not immediately respond to emailed requests for comment.
Reopened in September and running for nearly a month, the fair dates back to 1886. In addition to the midseason games, car shows, and a maze featuring the Texas Star Ferris Wheel, one of the tallest Ferris wheels in the country, the fairgrounds is also home to the annual college football rivalry between the University of Texas and the University of Oklahoma.
