In one of the most heavily gun-regulated cities in America, a billboard promoting a Turkish-made handgun caused a backlash – and may have broken local law in the process. According to a report from The Oaklandside by Roselyn Romero, the advertisement promoting the Canik Mete MC9 – a California-compliant semiautomatic pistol – was installed on a billboard towering over I-880 in Oakland without the proper permits required by the city. The ad was eventually removed following public outcry and media scrutiny.
Despite Canik’s effort to market a legal firearm, Oakland residents, city officials, and gun control activists were quick to point out that this promotion likely violated municipal ordinances that govern firearm advertising – laws originally passed during one of Oakland’s bloodiest decades.
Oakland Law Requires a Permit – and Nobody Got One
Under Oakland’s 1992 municipal code, anyone engaged in the business of selling or advertising firearms or ammunition must first obtain a firearms dealer permit from the Oakland Police Department. When asked whether such a permit was issued to either Canik or Outfront Media, the billboard company, the police department confirmed: no permit had been issued. Jean Walsh, public information officer for the City of Oakland, told The Oaklandside that this billboard would have fallen under that regulation.
This law, now over 30 years old, was part of a larger push to reduce gun violence and unregulated sales. The permit alone costs $874, with an annual renewal fee of $584. It also requires liability insurance and is aimed at ensuring gun dealers or advertisers don’t inadvertently enable illegal gun trafficking.
A Public Backlash and a Mandela Makeover
The moment the billboard went up, it drew fire from local residents. Some were outraged to see a gun ad displayed in a city still struggling with gun violence and homicide. As gun rights YouTuber Liberty Doll reported in her video, residents were so disturbed that one even claimed the sight of the billboard nearly caused a car crash. While the firearm being advertised was state-compliant and on California’s approved handgun roster, many simply couldn’t stomach the idea of seeing a gun ad in public.
The outcry worked. Shortly after The Oaklandside’s coverage, the gun ad was taken down and replaced with a PSA featuring a smiling Nelson Mandela. Though the city has not confirmed whether the removal was prompted by an enforcement action or simply public pressure, the change was swift and telling.
Legal Firearm, Illegal Ad?
Liberty Doll emphasized a key point: neither Canik nor Outfront Media were directly selling firearms in Oakland. They were only advertising a legal product. Still, Oakland law makes no distinction between advertising and selling when it comes to firearms – both require a police-issued permit.
To many, that feels like a stretch. Liberty Doll criticized the city’s policy, describing it as overregulation. She noted that Oakland hasn’t had an FFL (Federal Firearms License) holder within city limits since the last gun store closed in 2000, partially due to an aggressive 1998 tax that charged gun sellers $24 for every $1,000 in revenue. That’s on top of state and federal taxes – a heavy burden that seems purposefully discouraging.
The Gun Control Layer Cake in Oakland
Oakland’s restrictions on firearm-related businesses are vast and growing. Over the past two decades, the city has passed measures banning ghost guns, limiting magazine capacities to 10 rounds, mandating gun storage requirements, and prohibiting guns in unattended vehicles. In 2013, the city even passed a resolution encouraging the police chief to send letters to gun buyers outlining their responsibilities.
While the Canik billboard may have appeared innocuous, simply advertising a legal pistol, it fell into the crosshairs of a city determined to suppress any public visibility of guns. Oakland’s approach is effectively a zero-tolerance policy for gun visibility, even if the weapon is legal and the ad doesn’t promote sales on-site.
The Broader Campaign to Erase Gun Culture
Gun rights advocates argue that this is part of a larger trend: not just regulating gun sales, but erasing gun culture from public view. Liberty Doll mocked the outrage surrounding the ad, noting that if a billboard advertising a California-legal firearm is your biggest problem, “you have a charmed life.”
That perspective underscores a culture clash. In places like Texas or Arizona, a billboard like Canik’s wouldn’t turn heads. But in urban California, particularly Oakland, it ignites a social and political firestorm. As Liberty Doll pointed out, “Just saying ‘Hey, these exist now’ is apparently enough to warrant a violation.”
No Comment from the Offenders
Despite repeated inquiries from The Oaklandside, neither Canik nor Outfront Media responded to requests for comment. Likewise, the Oakland City Attorney Ryan Richardson declined an interview. That silence has left many wondering whether the city plans to pursue fines or other consequences, or if they’ll quietly let the matter fade now that the billboard is gone.
Whether this was a calculated marketing push from Canik or simply a misstep in navigating California’s layered regulations, the fallout was swift. What started as a brand announcement turned into a controversy over compliance, legality, and gun rights visibility.
Gun Control in the Age of Bruen
This billboard controversy also highlights the uncertain legal ground cities like Oakland are standing on post-Bruen. As The Oaklandside noted, the 2022 Supreme Court ruling in NYSRPA v. Bruen significantly restricted the power of local governments to impose firearm regulations that lack historical precedent.
Though advertising restrictions haven’t yet been directly challenged under Bruen, the ruling may open the door to legal challenges against Oakland’s billboard rules. After all, if the firearm is legal, should advertising it be criminalized?
Culture Clash: Public Safety vs. Gun Normalization
To city leaders and many residents, the billboard symbolized insensitivity to Oakland’s ongoing battle with gun crime. To gun rights advocates, it symbolized a fundamental freedom being snuffed out. This divide is why gun regulation remains one of the most polarizing issues in America. Both sides view the other as extreme – either too soft on violence or too hostile to liberty.
And yet, as Liberty Doll sarcastically observed, Oakland’s real issue might not be the billboard itself but the underlying frustration with legally owned guns simply existing within the public consciousness.
What Happens Next?
Now that the ad has been taken down and replaced, the immediate furor has passed — but questions remain. Will the city fine Canik or Outfront Media for bypassing permit requirements? Will future gunmakers risk similar advertising in places like Los Angeles or San Diego, where the same billboard was reportedly spotted?
Given that the Oakland Police Department confirmed it never issued a permit, the door is open for the city to levy penalties, but it hasn’t yet taken that step publicly. Until then, this story remains a warning to other manufacturers: know your local laws, or risk becoming a political lightning rod.
Controlling the Conversation
In the end, this is a story about more than just a billboard. It’s about who controls the conversation around firearms – and what happens when that conversation escapes tightly regulated channels. As Liberty Doll bluntly put it, “That’s a first world problem if I’ve ever seen one.”
Whether you see the Canik billboard as a tone-deaf provocation or a bold assertion of lawful marketing, its quick rise and fall is a snapshot of America’s fractured relationship with guns – and the growing tension between legality and perception in the court of public opinion.
Gary’s love for adventure and preparedness stems from his background as a former Army medic. Having served in remote locations around the world, he knows the importance of being ready for any situation, whether in the wilderness or urban environments. Gary’s practical medical expertise blends with his passion for outdoor survival, making him an expert in both emergency medical care and rugged, off-the-grid living. He writes to equip readers with the skills needed to stay safe and resilient in any scenario.