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A MAN WAS removed from the audience at US President Donald Trump’s speech to the National Rifle Association (NRA) after throwing a mobile phone towards the stage.
The phone flew toward one side of the lectern as Trump was approaching from the other side. The president proceeded with his speech without delay.
In his speech, Trump said he is withdrawing the US from an international agreement on the arms trade, saying the United Nations treaty is “badly misguided”.
Trump made the announcement as he vowed to fight for gun rights and implored members of the nation’s largest pro-gun group to rally behind his re-election bid.
“It’s under assault,” he said of the constitutional right to bear arms. “But not while we’re here.”
Trump said he would be revoking the United States’ status as a signatory of the UN Arms Trade Treaty, which regulates international trade in conventional weapons, from small arms to battle tanks, combat aircraft and warships.
His predecessor President Barack Obama signed the pact in 2013 but it has never been ratified by US lawmakers. It has long been opposed by the NRA.
“Under my administration, we will never surrender American sovereignty to anyone,” Trump said, before signing a document on stage asking the Senate to halt the ratification process.
We will never allow foreign diplomats to trample on your Second Amendment freedom.
“I hope you’re happy,” he told the group, to cheers.
‘Embolden terrorists’
Gun activists denounced the treaty when it was under negotiation as an infringement of civilian firearm ownership, despite the well-enshrined legal principle that says no treaty can override the Constitution or US laws.
The treaty is aimed at cracking down on illicit trading in small arms, thereby curbing violence in some of the most troubled corners of the world.
Advocates of tighter gun restrictions denounced Trump’s decision. Kris Brown, president of the Brady Campaign, said it was a “reckless move” that will “only embolden terrorists and other dangerous actors around the world”.
‘I didn’t need a gun’
In a speech full of grievance, Trump railed against the Mueller investigation, which did not establish a criminal conspiracy between Russian and the Trump campaign but raised serious questions about the actions of Trump and his associates.
Special counsel Robert Mueller outlined potential episodes of obstruction of justice by the president without concluding that he had committed any crime, leaving such questions for Congress to pursue as it saw fit.
“They tried for a coup,” Trump said. “It didn’t work out so well.”
“And I didn’t need a gun for that, did I?” he quipped, adding:
Spying. Surveillance. Trying for an overthrow? And we caught ‘em.
And in a pre-emptive attack against his 2020 Democratic challengers, Trump claimed that the other party wants “to take away your guns”.
An emboldened NRA had high hopes and ambitious plans for easing state and national gun regulations after pouring tens of millions of dollars into the 2016 presidential race, seeing its dark horse candidate win and Republicans in control of both branches of Congress.
But much of the legislation the group championed has stalled, due, in part, to a series of mass shootings, including the massacre at a Parkland, Florida, high school last year that left 17 dead and launched a youth movement against gun violence that has had a powerful impact. And Democrats won control of the House in the midterm elections.
At the same time, the group is grappling with infighting and money issues as well as facing a series of investigations into its operating practices, including allegations that covert Russian agents seeking to influence the 2016 election courted its officials and funneled money through the group.
As Trump landed in Indianapolis, a judge imposed an 18-month prison term on gun rights activist Maria Butina, an admitted Russian agent who tried to infiltrate American conservative groups.
Opinion polls
The NRA’s shaky fortunes have raised questions about the organisation’s clout heading into 2020.
“I’ve never seen the NRA this vulnerable,” John Feinblatt, president of Everytown for Gun Safety, a nonprofit that advocates for gun control measures, said.
A March AP-NORC poll found that 67% of Americans overall think gun laws should be made stricter — up from 61% in October 2017.
A June 2018 Gallup poll found overall favorable opinions of the NRA down slightly from October 2015 – from 58% to 53%. Unfavourable views have grown – from 35% to 42%.
With reporting by Órla Ryan
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Not good enough to just refund the ticket price. That won’t cover the additional cost of traveling there. Surely there must be some form of sanction against over selling tickets, but being Ireland, probably not.
@Dilly Dong: lol!
@Dilly Dong: the place was full of grown men and women playing the game while the kids that were there could not get a chance on the games it was pathetic.
It may amaze you but the target audience for most entertainment/video games is 18-30 year old males.
@Dilly Dong: This is about GamerCon, not the que for Coppers.
@Dilly Dong: I suppose they should just watch a dvd and talk shite like most people do
@Dilly Dong: Don’t worry, they’ll let you out one day.
@Dilly Dong: All us moaners and nerds on the journal.ie would probally end up dying to be honest. God forbid we would all be in a que with eachother, with some decrying communism, others that Trump is the saviour and all inbetween trying to poont out logical fallacies at eachother in attempts to claim some sort of superfical victory. Yea, we would all certainly die, the gamer nerds merely just go around saying ‘your mom’ at eachother.
Why should kids skip the line? They probably got discounted tickets and and no doubt adults appreciate the experience just as much as them if they’ve paid for a ticket. I hate parents who feel like just because they have cute children everyone else should care too. I have 2 kids by the way.
@Dilly Dong: and your here reading about them not having left your bedroom in ten odd years Mr dong
@billy Dong! You complete moron! The name of the event is “Gamercon”!!! It is for gamers! But unfortunately we saw more of the CON the the gamer !
“We have offered a full refund for those who decided not to attend”
Decided not to attend??? It sounds like people had no choice in the matter.
@Joe Bloggs: it’s only a partial refund they’re giving people
@Peter King: it’s not, it’s a full refund if you didn’t get in, it’s on the game con website.
Was waiting for hour and half before giving up. Absolute joke. Obvious they grossly oversold tickets. Just plain greed.
Got in queue at 1030, was lucky to get indoors at 1100. Utter chaos inside, overcrowded, couldn’t turn around without hitting someone.
Just to move around between floors, queues because of the crowds trying to get on the escalator.
Queues 5 and 6 deep around every stand.
Incredibly badly organized.
The organisers have questions to answer on the safety, they had to know exactly what amount of tickets were sold. And convention center should have ensured the maximum number was adhered to.
@David Vaughan: This is Ireland. It’s max the profit at every hands turn, and to hell with the paying public.
@David Vaughan: Same. Left an hour later as it was not safe for a 9 year old. Decided not to use the weekend ticket. Guess what, no refund for us. I will not support this ever again.
I’ve deleted this because of the removal of the red thumb
@Steve Monk: booooooohooooo
Apparantly people being told they can gain entry tomorrow on a saturday ticket if you couldnt get in. If thats the case itll be worse tomorrow than today. Not sure if ill go tomorrow, havent broke the news to my daughter yet
@Sam: we have tickets for tomorrow. That’s what I was afraid would happen. We are going in but kids have been well warned. I am dreading it
@Geraldine Lawlor: same. Im leaving at the crack of dawn to head up to Dublin but ive warned her what it may be like. Really hoping its not as bad as today!
@Sam: Hi Sam. Just signed up to journal to give you my advice. If you are guaranteed your money back I would skip it and spend the money on something for your daughter. It was pretty awful. We got in after 40min delay. Ground floor is a gamestop shop plus a few other stalls, and an area for people to play games on an assortment of platforms. 1st floor is a competition area that is mostly just waiting for a competition to take place. 2nd is VIP meet and greet with 2nd rate you tubers. And 3rd floor is the auditorium with occasional talks. Overall grubby, packed and just not worth it. And just to note the VIP ticket appears to be a real swizz. Doesn’t get you in a lot faster. And forget the app. Its schedule times bears could beat be described as alternative facts.
Don’t go I was there with the kids today.It was probably one of the worst experiences of my life.The kids did not in joy themselves at all.We couldn’t even move in the rooms.
Worst Web Summit Ever, Paddy Cosgrove has a lot to answer for.
Well, they named it right. Gamer CON.
Up down left right press a and start together. Level skip. Sonic :-)
Old school case of hungry hungry hippos. Knom knom knom knom. Hungry ba***rds.
@Martin Flood: stolen money, crying children, soaking wet, hours in wasted journeys from all over the country?? Get back in your cave you troll
There are over a dozen, volunteer run gaming hobby conventions in Ireland (board games, role playing games & video games) in addition to the comic cons and cosplay cons that are run to a very professional degree, are immense fun and have never had, in my experience over 20 years, such catastrophic poor planning – unless it was a conscious decision, of course. A lot of these are on http://irishgamingwiki.com/wiki/Front_Page if you want to explore your hobby at a well-run event.
Honestly the worst event I have ever been at .Qued for over an hour and then told we could not get in.Walked away then tried the main door and literally just walked in.The main forum was beyond shite!A big glorified GameStop really!Feel bad for the kids who did not get in!
@Gooney: Worst. Conference. Ever.
@8bitplebian: haha so bad
@8bitplebian: I was there with my 9 year old, terrible half the games were taken with grown men playing them with the kids not getting a chance and the place was very dangerous it was that full my son started panicking we had to leave will never go to another one of these again.
@Peter Cavey: sorry but I’d have to agree with Martin. We bring these problems on ourselves most times. Same trouble at a local play centre out my way, people standing in the rain for hours waiting to get in to an over crowded facility instead of bringing their kids to the park or the beach or hill walking and teaching them how to have fun without getting sucked in to the madness of ‘first world problems’. I drove passed the centre thinking why would they stand in the rain outside some pissy place when they could be in a playground in the rain enjoying themselves for free?
Changing the terms and conditions post sale of tickets is illegal right?
No more red thumb/downvote/dislike option for comments?
Wow. Fascist snowflakes…..
@Tim Nelligan: outrage about lack of a dislike button and you call others snowflakes? Hahaha
Anyone sold a valid ticket . Should take the ccd and the event organisers to small claims court.
Claim their expenses and the distress caused. This is nothing more then greed . They new the max capacity of the venue. Very poor show indeed.
@oldon: don’t think you can sue for distress ..
@Suzie Sunshine: you can claim for your time the money you spent . IE hotel train bus fuel. Also your time and the the waste of said time. It all has value.
This is what happens when Commerical organization does not know it’s client base. To expect young gamers with their parents to rotate quickly is not going to happen.
They need a bigger venue, very badly organized. A refund is no good to parents and disappointment if customers today.
Greed is an awful trait.
Scammer Central.
i’m just so glad i didn’t decide to go. Dublin Comic Con, which is also head in the dublin convention center, is a better option for people who couldn’t get into gamercon. more people in costumes too
Sue the blastards. Absolutely disgraceful carry on altogether.
F@#king d@#ks. Kids in the rain for hours. Brilliant.
@Joe:Ha ha good man Joe.
Except it’s not a full refund, it’s a partial refund.
Absolutely disgraceful and a complete and utter shambles all because of greed in over selling the event. Hundreds turned away ??? More like thousands. The queue was like the bloody Great Wall of China. Queuing for hours and still no sign of the entrance. The queue snaking around adjacent buildings and streets, never seen anything like it. Spoke to people that did get, they where saying it was like sardines, couldn’t see or get to anything, downright dangerous.
Full unconditional refund expected.
Bigger venue needed next time
Monkey see, monkey do. The government is ripping us off, vulture funds are ripping us off, the EU is ripping us off, sure ticket sellers were bound to start doing it eventually. Oh wait….
My lads went today, luckily they were there when the doors opened. I say luckily, it really wasn’t, they both said it’s the worst convention they’ve been to. 3 merch stands, a retro games section. Not worth the price of the tickets, I wouldn’t bother trying to go tomorrow.
This looks like plain and simple greed and may be illegal.
They should not have sold a single ticket over the capacity of the venue.
People should sue.
It was an absolute disgrace there today. The fact that they have said they will allow today’s tickets be used tomorrow proves their greed and lack of respect for the health, safety and comfort of their patrons. I left after three hours 12.00 -15-00 and was just half way round. Even if i had stayed it would have been over before i had of got in by what i had seen.
Gamer ConARTISTS
The only fresh air these nerds will get all year.
@Richie C: That’s the funniest and most original comment I’ve ever heard.
Are you a professional comedian by anychance?
It has turned into an unmitigated disaster – and another day to go!
Someone needs to be massive fined for this – but thanks to elected, Ireland does bugger all accountability!
Probably the longest time those kids have been outside in the fresh air for years, put a bit of colour back on their pasty indoor faces!
Managed to get in the front door while security wasn’t looking after queuing for an hour. It was pure crap. Only a few stands inside. You had to queue for 40 minutes to try anything on those stands. Over a 2 hour wait for to try the virtual reality. What a joke of a conference. No one at any stand accepted vip tickets.
Bwaaahahaha
If they held the event over three or four days for ticket holders only, then the issues might not have happened..
GamerCon?
ConGamers.
Stop commenting!!! Bring back our red thumbs
@Peter Cavey: Some people DO live in caves. Now that’s a genuine reason to complain. And even then they probably don’t because they understand there are people worse off again.
Scam
The capacity claims by the organisers are ridiculous , The top floor was closed, the auditorium that seats 2000 was only partly used and never more than a quarter full, subtract that from their claimed total and you will have a true reflection of what numbers they should have worked with 5000 max. they ran out of food by 1.30 pm and the list goes on, these guys are clowns,never ever will they see 1 penny from again.
If feel sorry for these people only its such a daft event.
ah, theres to many people cramming into dublin anyway and where theres free events, forget it. gone be the days when you’d have chance. its all queues now and sold out events. great for the capitalists though. enjoy!
Will Someone Please Think Of The Children !! Really ? They would be far worse off living in a hotel room long term. Get over it !
Absolute joke!! Greed before safety!!!!
and round two tomorrow!!! What a joke of a setup – organisers a bunch of amateurs they deserve to be fleeched.
is it bad i will be going in sunday with friends just wondering
Hell hath no fury like a rain-drenched nerd scorned.
Worst day of my ds life! My ds has Autism I lost my son “while standing beside him” due to crowd bashing! This event was a disaster a disgrace and completely and utterly unorganised!
What is it , anyway ?
Sounds like Hell to me ..
gamers ??
Bureaucracy strikes again.
Shocked to see this, then again it is for profit event.
Other gaming and scifi conventions have been running for 25 to 30 years with out treating people so badly.
@Sam: Agree Sam, but I think you mean sad ass troll…..
I was discussed at the way gamer con was organised Young children standing in line for four hours to see Allie A and nothing to entertain them they were tired and boared and jumping on chairs running up and down the corridors and stairs.Accident waiting to happen and we cant blame the parents or children .The organisers should have Allie A there a lot early as it was mostly young children that was waiting to see Allie A No barriers up to dived people so people pushed in and cause Bedlem People got very Angery Never again would I go The boys enjoyed it but I did;nt It hard to watch children when it is so crowded and people pushing all the time,
Obviously their virtual world does not transmit to the real world.
I am so glad that we didn’t go!
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