New Chicago art exhibit erroneously claims buying guns in city is as simple as renting a bicycle

The message behind a new art exhibit in downtown Chicago is that buying an AR-15-style rifle is as easy as renting a bicycle.

As it turns out, that couldn't be further from the truth, especially in Chicago.

But to make its point, the exhibit features replicas of AR-15's sitting in a station that looks like a bike rental rack, reported IJR Red, a conservative news and commentary website.

The display was created by The Escape Pod and the Brady Center to Prevent Gun Violence.

CNN helped promote their work in a recent report:

Max Samis, press secretary for the Brady Center, told CNN: “Our hope is to raise awareness of this important issue. We're hoping the Chicago community can take advantage of this… and learn how simple it is for a civilian to obtain a weapon of war.”

Vinny Warren, The Escape Pod executive creative director, added, “Our goal here is to start a conversation on one of the more burning issues of our day, and in the process, raise much-needed funds for the Brady Center to Prevent Gun Violence. This issue is especially relevant to our home town of Chicago, which has suffered more than most from the plague of gun violence."

IJR Red goes on to point out why the display is flawed. For starters, it’s located in Chicago and in a state that requires a Firearms Owners Identification card for firearm purchases.

“Having gone through the process myself, you basically register yourself as a potential gun owner instead of having to register your firearms,” wrote IJR writer Julio Rosas.

The article states that to get the card, the state police in Illinois require an applicant's photo, date of birth, address, height, weight, phone number, gender and race.

Applicants who are approved can then purchase a firearm in Illinois. Similar to any other state, federal firearms laws must also be met, along with any local and city laws.

And that's not as easy as renting a bike. All a bicycle rental requires is paying the fee and pedaling away, IJR Red noted.

AR-15-style rifles are often a talking point for gun control advocates because they have been used in mass killings in the country, including the one in February at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, where 17 people died.