A Harvard graduate student was told she has to move out of her apartment after her roommates found her legally owned firearms “uncomfortable” and anxiety-inducing.
Leyla Pirnie, a 24-year-old Alabama native, told the Washington Free Beacon that she felt roommates violated her privacy after they searched her room without her consent and then confronted her over gun ownership.
“When I asked them why they were in my room to begin with, they each came up with completely contradicting stories (none of which made any sense), but one comment struck me in particular: ‘We saw that you had a MAGA hat and, come on, you’re from Alabama… so we just kind of assumed that you had something,’” she said.
“I asked why they didn’t just call me and ask me before intruding.”
“One of the girls responded that fear took over her body and she felt compelled to search my room until she found proof … I cannot make this up.”
This prompted her roommates to contact the landlord of the apartment, with one saying the presence of firearms makes others uncomfortable.
A Harvard student is being told to move out after her roommates, prompted by her MAGA hat, searched her room for guns and then complained to the landlord https://t.co/9NAbSwZR6N
— Stephen Gutowski (@StephenGutowski) November 30, 2018
“We discussed with Leyla that all of us are uncomfortable with having firearms in the house, and that their presence causes anxiety and deprives us of the quiet enjoyment of the premise to which we are entitled,” one roommate wrote in an email obtained by the Washington Free Beacon.
Dave Lewis, president of Avid Management, then asked Pirnie to vacate the premises, despite the authorities’ assurances that she had complied with all gun-ownership laws.
“Since it’s clear that Leyla wants to keep her firearms, it would be best for all parties if she finds another place to live,” Lewis wrote in an email.
Pirnie told the outlet that she tried to reason with the roommates, saying she was a legal gun owner and was trained to handle the firearms.
“Nobody has bothered to question, ‘Well, why do you want to have protection? Could it be because you’ve experienced something where you need to protect yourself as you see fit?’”
But the roommates were more concerned about someone else using the guns.
“Nobody has bothered to question, ‘Well, why do you want to have protection? Could it be because you’ve experienced something where you need to protect yourself as you see fit?’” she said, noting that she was in a physically abusive relationship in the past.
“I have a real and legitimate reason as to why I want to protect myself.”
The student and her father tried to defuse the situation and rejected Lewis’ request to move out of the apartment, but the property manager insisted his request had nothing to do with politics and was strictly practical.
He went on to warn Pirnie that if others move out, she will be responsible for paying their rent, according to the Washington Free Beacon.
Pirnie said the whole incident violated both privacy and rights, saying it “doesn’t seem right” that she has to bear the burden for her roommates’ feelings.
“Not only is this a blatant violation of my privacy, but it’s also a violation of my rights,” she said.
Lukas Mikelionis is a reporter for FoxNews.com. Follow him on Twitter @LukasMikelionis. This Fox News piece is used by permission.
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