As of April 2, 2020, all Massachusetts firearms retailers were forced to closed as they are now considered a “non-essential” business during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Gun stores initially were marked as essential businesses, but the state then reversed the exemption. When the initial list of essential businesses was published on Tuesday evening 3/31, all firearm and ammunition businesses were included. By Wednesday, 4/1, they were removed from the list and forced to close to the public.
Senior VP of The National Shooting Sports Foundation stated the following, “This antipathy for the respect of the right of Massachusetts citizens to protect themselves is alarming…Every other governor in New England is permitting their citizens the right to acquire a firearm. Even the governors of New Jersey and Pennsylvania have now recognized the limits of their authority to infringe on fundamental American rights and reversed course. Gov. Baker’s using a health crisis to further an antigun agenda that denies Americans their rights is inexcusable.”
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Source:
https://www.masslive.com/coronavirus/2020/04/coronavirus-massachusetts-quietly-made-gun-retailers-essential-in-extended-executive-order-then-reversed-exemption.html?fbclid=IwAR3LbltIQi_LI3O6bIobF0hWCUh2aCiD3r4I5ki_4k3Vim6FkfUoi7Zfucs