AUSTIN (Nexstar) — The State Fair of Texas is facing criticism from some top Republicans following their decision to prohibit firearms on the property during this fall’s annual weekslong “Celebration of Texas.”

“The safety of our fairgoers, employees, and vendors remains the Fair’s number one priority. We are committed to providing a safe and welcoming experience for every single person who attends our annual celebration of Texas,” Fair COO Jaime Navarro said. “Comparable policies are in place industry-wide, and the State Fair of Texas believes these policy additions will further enhance our existing safety and security protocols.”

Attorney General Ken Paxton is threatening to sue the City of Dallas if they do not force the Fair to change course. State law prohibits firearm bans on government property. The State Fair is operated by a private entity, but they lease the land from the City of Dallas.

“Texas law clearly states that license to carry holders may not be prevented from carrying a firearm on property owned or leased by the government,” Paxton said. “The State Fair of Texas’ recent policy that infringes on (license to carry) holders’ Second Amendment rights is unlawful.”

Gun safety advocates praised the Fair’s decision, remembering the shooting that injured three people in the dining hall last year.

“The real threat to safety is an abundance of unregulated firearms in public. We need to prioritize the safety of people, and it looks like the State Fair took that into consideration with this decision,” Director of Texas Gun Sense Nicole Golden told Nexstar.

Paxton’s threat comes after a majority of Texas Republican representatives sent a letter to the Fair’s directors urging them to reverse the firearm ban, claiming gun-free zones put the public at greater risk.

“Don’t you want to be able to defend your own family? That’s what this is about,” State Sen. Mayes Middleton, R-Galveston, told Nexstar. “Don’t you want to have that ability to defend your own family? Look, this is Texas. It’s not very Texan to walk under Big Tex and say, ‘No, the Second Amendment is not welcome here at the State Fair.'”

The Fair’s Karissa Condoianis told Nexstar they “stand ready to cooperate with (the City of Dallas), as needed.”

Paxton gave the city 15 days to “fix the issue,” or he “will see them in court.”