OSU Students Wear Empty Holsters To Protest Gun Restriction

OSU students are walking around campus wearing empty gun holsters in a peaceful protest this week.

The organization "Students for Concealed Carry on Campus" say it symbolizes that they are defenseless on school grounds.

Students are not allowed to carry and conceal on campus but many feel it's a right taken away.

Joren Whitley, The president of the Students for Concealed Carry on Campus, says he can carry and conceal his gun almost anywhere he goes.

"But I can't do it where I study. I spend most of my time on campus and I think I should be able to say hey I'm as safe on campus as I am off," Whitley said.

Whitley says he organized a peaceful protest to demonstrate that students are defenseless on school grounds. Students are wearing empty holsters all week.

"There is no imaginary line that all of a sudden you cross and become safe when you are on a college campus. It's ever bit as dangerous as everywhere else in society," said Josh Vansteenwyk, OSU student.

Members of the group say you can't envision the wild west.

"I don't have to be packing a huge .44, Just something so I feel safe," said Desirae Webb, secretary for Concealed Carry.

They say those with conceal and carry licenses are law abiding citizens, people who have credentials and the training.

"It would be nice to have that better sense of security that I'm fine walking to my truck by myself," Webb said.

Several state universities do allow students to conceal and carry. OSU says it "continues to be opposed to allowing guns on campus. More weapons would not make the campus safer."

"I think it would lead to more people trying to get in and take care of a job that police officers should be doing instead," said Drew Gaither

"I really believe in strict gun control. It really worries me to have that so easily accessible," said Maura Aguilera