Toy guns banned outside Republican convention. Real guns allowed.

You'll also need to leave your containers of bodily fluid at home.
 By 
Tim Chester
 on 
Original image replaced with Mashable logo
Original image has been replaced. Credit: Mashable

"Is that a toy gun sir?"

"No, it's a real one."

"OK, on your way."


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So might a conversation go at the Republican convention in Cleveland next week, thanks to a set of rules specifying what is and isn't allowed into a defined "event zone" surrounding the event.

Water pistols, BB guns, pellet guns and paintball guns are on a list of numerous items banned from the area outside the Quicken Loans Arena, along with an arsenal of other hardware including swords, sabers, hatchets, axes, nunchucks, maces, hammers, crowbars and pepper spray.

Also banned: light bulbs, canned goods and tennis balls. And containers of bodily fluid.

Guns? They're permitted, because Ohio is an open-carry state and officials can't stop licensed owners from taking their weapons with them. Cleveland Mayor Frank Jackson clarified the position at a press conference Wednesday.

"Our intent is to follow the law. And if the law says you can have open carry, that's what it says. Whether I agree with it or not is another issue," he said.

Here are 70 things specifically prohibited from the area, as well as "any other item determined by the [chief of police] or [director of public safety] to be a clear and present danger to the safety of others."

  1. Lumber larger than 2-inches wide and ¼-inch thick, including supports for signs

  2. Metal, plastic, or other hard material larger than ¾-inch thick and 1/8-inch wide wall thickness including pipe and tubing

  3. Air rifles

  4. Air pistols

  5. Paintball gun

  6. Blasting caps

  7. Switchblades

  8. Automatic knives

  9. Knives with blades two and one-half inches in length or longer

  10. Cestuses (armored gloves)

  11. Billy clubs

  12. Blackjacks

  13. Swords

  14. Sabers

  15. Hatchets

  16. Axes

  17. Slingshots

  18. BB guns

  19. Pellet guns

  20. Wrist shots

  21. Metal knuckles

  22. Nunchucks

  23. Maces

  24. Iron buckle

  25. Axe handles

  26. Shovels

  27. Explosives

  28. Fireworks

  29. Aerosol cans

  30. Pepper spray

  31. Speakers

  32. Drones

  33. Containers of bodily fluids

  34. Umbrellas with metal tips

  35. Water guns

  36. Water cannons

  37. Ropes longer than 6 inches

  38. Chains longer than 6 inches

  39. Strapping longer than 6 inches

  40. Wire longer than 6 inches

  41. Line longer than 6 inches

  42. Tape longer than 6 inches

  43. Glass bottles

  44. Ornaments

  45. Light bulbs

  46. Ceramic vessels

  47. Padlocks

  48. Bicycle locks

  49. Chain locks

  50. Gas masks

  51. Tents

  52. Sleeping bags

  53. Sleeping pads

  54. Mattresses

  55. Cots

  56. Hammocks

  57. Bivy sacks

  58. Stoves

  59. Coolers

  60. Ice chests

  61. Backpacks and bags exceeding the size of 18-inch x 13-inch x 7-inch;

  62. Lasers

  63. Non-plastic containers, bottles, cans or thermoses

  64. Ladders

  65. Grappling hooks

  66. Sledgehammers

  67. Hammers

  68. Crowbars

  69. Canned goods

  70. Tennis balls

Guns are still banned from inside the Quicken Loans Arena, where all the action will happen next week, despite 55,000 people signing a petition demanding the right to carry firearms inside.

Have something to add to this story? Share it in the comments.

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Tim Chester

Tim Chester was Senior Editor, Real Time News in Los Angeles. Before that he was Deputy Editor of Mashable UK in London. Prior to joining Mashable, Tim was a Senior Web Editor at Penguin Random House, helping to relaunch the Rough Guides website and other travel brands. He was also a writer for Buzzfeed, GQ and The Sunday Times, covering everything from culture to tech and current affairs. Before that, he was Deputy Editor at NME.COM, overseeing content and development on the London-based music and entertainment site. Tim loves music and travel and has combined these two passions at festivals from Iceland to Malawi and beyond.

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