Dallas — Legally-carried guns will be allowed during the National Rifle Association convention in Dallas this week, but not during Vice President Mike Pence's appearance at the event.
Pence is speaking at the NRA's Institute for Legislative Action Leadership Forum at noon Friday at the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center Arena.
The U.S. Secret Service will be responsible for security, so firearms, knives and other weapons will be prohibited.
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, Sen. Ted Cruz and Sen. John Cornyn are also among the speakers scheduled to attend the event.
The weapons ban has drawn criticism on social media, in particular from survivors and families connected to the Parkland High School shooting in February.
"According to the NRA, we should want everyone to have weapons when we are in public," tweeted Fred Guttenberg, whose daughter, Jaime, died in the Parkland shooting. "But when they put on a convention the weapons are a concern? I thought giving everyone a gun was to enhance safety. Am I missing something?"
Cameron Kasky, a survivor of the Parkland shooting, posted a screenshot of the NRA's firearm rule to Twitter, saying "The NRA has evolved into such a hilarious parody of itself."
The convention runs Thursday through Sunday.