The government in Victoria, Australia, reacted to the surge in firearm “permit to acquire” applications by shutting down gun sales altogether during the coronavirus crisis.

The Daily Mail reports that Police Minister Lisa Neville and the National Cabinet decided to halt gun purchases after permit applications “doubled.”

Neville and the cabinet fear that more guns will lead to more crime if tensions rise during the coronavirus crisis. Neville said, “We’re responding to an increase in demand for firearms and ammunition across the country by doing what we can to protect licensed firearm owners and dealers as well as the broader community.”

9News reports that Neville also saw a surge in ammunition purchases “almost doubling as well.” She said, “We need to keep that ammunition … for our police, our security guards, those … who need a gun for their work.”

On March 29, 2020, ABC.net reported that gun shops in Queensland were already categorized as “non-essential services” and shut down.

AWR Hawkins is an award-winning Second Amendment columnist for Breitbart News and the writer/curator of Down Range with AWR Hawkins, a weekly newsletter focused on all things Second Amendment, also for Breitbart News. He is the political analyst for Armed American Radio. Follow him on Twitter: @AWRHawkins. Reach him at awrhawkins@breitbart.com. You can sign up to get Down Range at breitbart.com/downrange.