Whether commercially available semi-automatic rifles now banned in Illinois are common or too similar to military grade firearms was the focus of Day 2 of the bench trial of Illinois’ gun and magazine ban.

Throughout four days of testimony, a central issue has been whether the weapons and equipment covered under the law are commonly used in American society for lawful purposes such as self-defense, and thus protected under the Second Amendment, or military-grade weapons that state and local governments can more easily keep out of civilian hands.

Thursday was the final day of a trial challenging the law, passed in response to the 2022 mass shooting in Highland Park.

A federal judge invoked images from the 1917 race riots in East St. Louis, Illinois, on Thursday at the end of a trial in a case challenging the constitutionality of the state’s ban on assault-style weapons and large-capacity magazines.

Judge Emily Tobolowsky denied a request by Attorney General Ken Paxton to block the policy, which would prevent license to carry holders from bringing guns onto the fairgrounds.