GOA Defends Concurrent Exercise of First and Second Amendment Rights

Breitbart News conducted an exclusive interview Thursday with Eric Pratt, the executive vice president of the Gun Owners Association of America (GOA). Pratt mentioned that GOA’s stance on combining First and Second Amendment rights isn’t just echoed by Alex Preti.

GOA has consistently championed Second Amendment rights, particularly supporting Preti after her decision to carry a firearm in Minneapolis.

For instance, on January 27, 2026, just three days following Preti’s fatal confrontation with federal law enforcement, GOA posted on X, asserting, “Peaceful protest while armed is not radical. It’s American. The First and Second Amendments protect those rights and always will. GOA will hold any administration accountable.”

During our conversation with Pratt, we addressed inquiries from readers, particularly regarding whether GOA had seen footage of Preti’s actions.

We spoke about a recent video where Preti was seen using aggressive language toward federal employees, allegedly even spitting on them. This incident occurred 11 days prior to the shooting when she presented a firearm at a protest.

“Our position has been that individuals can indeed exercise both the First and Second Amendments concurrently,” Pratt explained.

He elaborated:

There’s a long tradition of upholding these rights together, exemplified by events like the Boston Tea Party. More recently, public defenders carrying firearms during protests against civil rights violations illustrate that Second Amendment rights can coexist alongside peaceful demonstrations. While those protests were nonviolent, firearms were sometimes necessary for self-defense against racism.

Pratt added, “Regarding Mr. Preti, we haven’t specifically addressed his case. We maintain, contrary to various administration officials, that protesting while exercising Second Amendment rights is valid. However, it’s crucial that we do not use our freedoms to hinder legitimate law enforcement activities.” He emphasized, “That’s just not right.”