Gun rights activists are renewing their call to allow firearms at the Iowa State Fair after a violent incident on the fairgrounds Tuesday night. A man was stabbed and critically injured in a fight involving four young men on the southwest corner of the fairgrounds. Matt Windschitl, a Republican from Missouri Valley, says the comprehensive gun rights bill that passed this year originally included allowing guns at the fair.

” We had originally wanted to keep that provision in the bill but as we moved through the process there were a few items we had to remove from the bill in order to make sure we were building consensus and to get the necessary votes to pass the legislation,” Windschitl says. He says some lawmakers argued it’s a long-standing Fair Board policy to keep guns out.

“Why would we change that policy now,” Windschitl asks ” Now I personally believe it’s not the best policy. You shouldn’t disarm the law-abiding citizen. It’s their fundamental right to self-defense. But there was uncertainty with it.” Windschitl says he will try to talk to interested parties next year to see if minds have changed.

(Radio Iowa)