![Bishop Beckwith speaks at the October 6 media event for the gun safety campaign "Do Not Stand Idly By." CECILLE TAYLOR-SIMPSON PHOTO Bishop Beckwith speaks at the October 6 media event for the gun safety campaign "Do Not Stand Idly By." CECILLE TAYLOR-SIMPSON PHOTO](https://dioceseofnewark.org/sites/default/files/styles/node_hero_image/public/images/IMG_1059-web.jpg?itok=bpVc41Q3)
On October 6, Bishop Mark Beckwith, the Rev. Tom Murphy of St. Paul's, Jersey City, the Rev. Laurie Wurm of Grace Van Vorst, Jersey City and other faith leaders joined a bi-partisan group of mayors and police chiefs on the steps of Newark City Hall as Newark Mayor Ras Baraka called on all New Jersey mayors to join together in demanding that gun manufacturers start employing safe weapons technologies - or they will purchase future weapons for their law enforcement agencies elsewhere.
This media event was part of the “Do Not Stand Idly By” campaign of the Metro Industrial Areas Foundation, which is working with local jurisdictions to use public purchasing power to push gun manufacturers to adopt safer technologies and more responsible distribution practices. Learn more at donotstandidlyby.org.
See also Baraka calls on N.J. mayors to unite around safe gun tech published by NJ.com, October 12, 2016.