Federal Judge Pauses Challenge to DC’s ‘Assault Weapons’ Ban

A federal judge on July 29 temporarily put on hold a challenge to the capital city’s ban on so-called assault weapons. Second Amendment advocates say the ban is unconstitutional; gun control supporters say it promotes public safety. Gun rights activists say the expression “assault weapon” is arbitrary and is based on superficial considerations such as the way a weapon looks, as opposed to what it does. The challenge is one of several to be launched across the country in the wake of the Supreme Court’s 2022 ruling in New York State Rifle and Pistol Association v. Bruen. The court held that individuals have a constitutionally protected right to bear arms in public for self-defense and that gun restrictions must have a historical analogue to withstand challenge....