Concealed carry rules at the Fleet Center?

[Thor67]

Any of you know if the Fleet Ctr. (or rather the TD Banknorth Garden) has prohibitions or takes other measures against legal concealed carry?

Their website says that they perform "random metal detection of entrants" I don't know how random these are. I assume that cc is frowned upon, but there seems to be no specific prohibition.

 

[Admin]

They used to wand everyone. Now they only wand you if you have baggy clothes or a large jacket. I would imagine you could get a IWB holstered gun in, but I wouldn't risk the fiasco with the rent-a-cops if they found it.

I'm sure they have a no-firearms policy posted somewhere but I have never seen it and I'm usually there 10-15 times a year.

 

[dreppucci007]

I would tend to say it is definitely frowned upon. I don't see how there could be a law persay, but it is privately owned property, and if they don't want people to bring Swiss Army knives into the game, I don't think a LTC-A would make a difference to them.

 

[Moderator]

I watched the B's kick some Canadian ass last week over there. I didn't have my gun just in case, but I did decide to test the waters with my knife. If you have a closed jacket they made you open it. They checked bags also. No pat downs, or wands that I saw. IIRC when Capt5spd and I went to see Motley Crue (it was awsome) they did have wands.

 

[FunYun]

They can ask you to leave, if you refuse to leave they can call the police and have you escourted out.

Though remeber that if caught, a CLEO can use it as a reason to take your LTC-A ALP, hell he can use any reason he pleases.

You could also get banned from the Fleet center, though this only becomes a problem if you get a restraining order slapped on you.

 

[Cptn5spd]

I thought as a CCW rule that you cannot carry in a stadium show, concert, sports, ect.., I think I heard that in the BFSC

 

[Rpriestlyjr]

The Fleet Center/Garden (whatever) does not allow any weapons of any kind. Knives, firearms, bats, cinderblocks, etc...
A friend of mine was refused entry when a bunch of us went to a B's game a while ago over a pocket knife. Ha dto run back to the car and stow it.

 

[dreppucci007]

I've actually experimented before with a small swiss army knife...Before walking through security, I stash it in my pants directly behind my belt buckle. I've had the wand waved in front of it, and noone has ever said anything.

 

[Len-2A Training]

I thought as a CCW rule that you cannot carry in a stadium show, concert, sports, ect.., I think I heard that in the BFSC

Lots of "guardhouse lawyers" around that have no clue what they are talking about! That includes a fair percentage of LEOs "that make it up as they go".

Ask whoever told you this to provide a citation in MGL!

It's not true!!

Any owner of a private establishment can prohibit anything or anyone (except protected minorities as listed in Civil Rights Act). "Their house, their rules!" Prohibiting something however means that they will deny access and ask you to leave. You've broken no law up to that point . . . if you refuse to leave you are in "criminal trespass" and can be arrested, but not for possessing a gun/knife/sharp wit . . . simply because you refuse to leave.

 

[Thor67]

Thanks all for the input!

 

[K-DUB]

The Fleet Center/Garden (whatever) does not allow any weapons of any kind. Knives, firearms, bats, cinderblocks, etc...
A friend of mine was refused entry when a bunch of us went to a B's game a while ago over a pocket knife. Ha dto run back to the car and stow it.

Dammit, I always bring cinderblocks to sporting events, now I'll have to lock them in an approved container in my car.

 

[Rob Boudrie]

I thought as a CCW rule that you cannot carry in a stadium show, concert, sports, ect.., I think I heard that in the BFSC

Lots of "guardhouse lawyers" around that have no clue what they are talking about! That includes a fair percentage of LEOs "that make it up as they go".

Ask whoever told you this to provide a citation in MGL!

It's not true!!

Any owner of a private establishment can prohibit anything or anyone (except protected minorities as listed in Civil Rights Act). "Their house, their rules!" Prohibiting something however means that they will deny access and ask you to leave. You've broken no law up to that point . . . if you refuse to leave you are in "criminal trespass" and can be arrested, but not for possessing a gun/knife/sharp wit . . . simply because you refuse to leave.

Also, if a private guard tries to confiscate property against your will all sorts of laws get broken - possible unlicensed posession of a firearm if the guard is not off duty leo or an LTC-A holder; assault (if you are intentionally touched without consent in the removal of the weapon); theft; possible unlawful imprisonment; etc.

Len is right (he's one of the people with a near perfect - perhaps perfect - accuracy record on this forum) about the laws. Another point is that the restrictions vary by state - some states have "stadium bans", "church bans", "bar bans", "bank bans", "police station bans", "restaurant bans", "bans if a sign is posted", "bans on residences without explicit consent", etc. MA has the "on your person on school property ban" and that's about it (except for the federal stuff, some administrative bans like courthouses, and some obscure game laws). MA is among the least restrictive of states as to where an LTC-A/ALP holder may carry.

The only time it makes sense to push things if you are so "in" with the issuing authority that you can be confident they will back you when the PD in the host town reports the incident.

It's like getting stopped when the store alarm goes off by someone wanting to check your packages - just say "I do not consent to a search of my belongings or person, and I am not agreeing to remain here voluntarily. If you tell me I am being detained and am not free to go, I will not offer any resistance, but I want it clearly understood that if you force me to remain it is an involuntary detention which may have adverse legal consequences for you. Am I your prisoner or am I free to go?"

 

[Moderator]

I thought as a CCW rule that you cannot carry in a stadium show, concert, sports, ect.., I think I heard that in the BFSC

Yes you did hear that, I was told the same thing when I took the class aswell.... and we took it at the same place.

I asked my current firearms instructor the same thing and he provided me with the same answer that Len said.

 

[Cptn5spd]

Lens and Rob thank you for supplying that info, I did not know that. TypeO thanks for backing me up there, I though for sure that I had heard that from somewhere and from someone I though was more credible.

 

[Homer]

The Fleetcenter does have a "no weapons" policy posted at the bottom of the escalator that doesn't have the Dunkin Donuts at the bottom which specifically phrohibits firearms. (don't know about the other one as this is the one I have always gone up) This is a faIrly new policy since 9/11 as i used to carry in both the Fleetcenter and at Fenway.

 

[Thor67]

Thanks for the heads up. I went to the game last week. Didn't carry. Didn't see the sign either.