The N.C. State chapter of Students for Concealed Carry on Campus is participating in national Empty Holster protest that will run through Friday to advocate for legislation to allow concealed carry on campus. Students participating in this week-long protest, which began April 21, walk around with an open holster on their hip in protest of state laws and school policies that restrict concealed handguns on campus with an emphasis on educating people who aren’t aware of the laws.

According to Students for Concealed Carry on Campus member Ches McDowell, freshman in political science, participants in the protest are making a statement that the students walking around with open holsters would be the same people protecting others in case of an emergency where police couldn’t arrive in time. He also said that they are showing the public how many people on college campuses are left defenseless.

“This is just to show that we’re not violent people, and the people who are going to do the school shootings and robberies are not the people who are going to go and get a concealed carry permit where they have to provide their fingerprints and pay a fee,” McDowell said. “It helps to put a nonviolent face with the advocates for concealed carry on.”

According to McDowell, the group hopes that the protest will not only be an effective tool for advocating concealed carry on campus, but also help to change students’ minds about the issue.

Thomas Knight, senior in civil engineering, is also participating in the protests because he said he feels the laws against concealed carry on campus restrict the wrong people and are beneficial to the criminals because they are guaranteed a safe zone on campus.

“We’re trying to raise awareness that we’re good people, we’re not going to be harming any student,” he said.

He added that the protest gives criminals a chance to see “that if legislation is changed and people can carry concealed weapons on campus then they don’t have a safe area anymore and they aren’t guaranteed that they aren’t going to meet serious repercussions.”

Knight is also concerned that since the boundaries of the University extend to Hillsborough Street and Western Boulevard, it will be a felony to drive eastbound on Hillsborough Street with a firearm that you can lawfully carry outside of that area.

“The best thing that happens when you allow concealed carry on campus is that it noticeably reduces crime and the worst thing that happens is no change at all so it’s just not a logical implement for society to impose,” said Knight.

However, not everyone agrees with the protest. Christina Kennedy, junior in political science, said she feels that concealed weapons will just increase the presence of guns and thus a greater chance of someone getting hurt.

“Even if it is for protection, it’s not as safe,” Kennedy said. “If there is a shoot out, then more bullets flying would not be a good thing. I would feel less safe if the concealed carry were passed for college campuses.”

This is the second Empty Holster protest held by the national Students for Concealed Carry on Campus, which has just under 30,000 members, according to the organization’s official website.