Walmart removes guns and ammunition from shelves ahead of US elections



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The tension before the US elections is mounting. Both candidates make their final appearances to convince undecided voters. However, with election night approaching, concerns about possible outbreaks of violence surrounding the vote are also mounting.

US retail group Walmart has now moved guns and ammunition from its store shelves in the US These would continue to be sold on demand, a spokesperson said Thursday.

However, since an “isolated malaise” occurred, the step was taken “for the safety of employees and customers.” This corresponds to the procedure already known on several occasions in recent years. After George Floyd’s police brutality, Walmart had made a similar decision that summer.

The spokesman did not say when the weapons should be openly sold again. In any case, according to the ad, the guns are only sold “in about half of all places, especially where there are a lot of hunters and sport shooters.” The group operates about 4,800 stores in the United States.

This year riots and looting have broken out in several cities across the United States, including Chicago, New York, Los Angeles and Portland. At the same time, firearms sales in the United States hit record levels before Tuesday’s vote. Experts do not rule out violence in the chosen area.

Amnesty calls for protesters to be protected

A week ago Amnesty International appealed to the US government. The human rights organization demands that these protesters protect themselves from violence before the presidential elections on November 3.

Currently, the security forces cannot prevent the peaceful meetings from being disrupted, according to a report released Friday. Law enforcement officials must ensure that the basic right of peaceful assembly can be exercised.

A few days before the election, Democratic challenger Joe Biden is ahead of incumbent Donald Trump in most polls, and in some cases clearly. The former vice president of the United States can also reserve an advantage in the undecided states that can be decisive for the elections. However, observers expect a tight election result.

Above all, the fact that extremely large numbers of postal voters can be expected due to the crown crisis could cause riots on election night. Depending on how quickly these votes are counted, a reliable result can take a long time to arrive.

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