More than 5,000 gun rights advocates swarmed the Capitol for a rally Thursday, cheering as a parade of lawmakers who opposed New York's new gun control law lauded the Second Amendment and blasted the new law's backers.
"This is probably one of the most egregious acts by government I've seen defying our nation's history," said Assembly Minority Leader Brian Kolb, R-Canandaigua. "It's time to repeal this law."
Called the SAFE Act by Gov. Andrew Cuomo, its principal backer, the gun control measure broadened the definition of banned assault weapons and made magazines containing more than seven bullets unlawful. It also increased penalties for illegal gun possession, reduced public access to gun permit information and allowed mental health professionals to report concerns about a gun-owning patient harming himself or others.
The bill passed quickly last month, through a "message of necessity" that waived the legally required three-day waiting period. The Senate, led by a Republican-dominated coalition, passed the measure by a 43-18 vote less than two hours after the bill's text became public. The Democrat-dominated Assembly passed the bill the next day, and Cuomo signed it.
While Senate Republican Leader Dean Skelos voted for the bill and allowed it to come to the floor — a key action that allowed it to become law — rally organizers directed their enmity toward Cuomo. One attendee, though, held a sign that said, "Hey, Skelos, try growen' a pair." Speakers at
a smaller rally held earlier this month, headlined by former gubernatorial candidate Carl Paladino, denounced Skelos more directly.
Several members of the Republican conference spoke at the rally to denounce the bill.
"I have never seen a crowd this big," said Sen. John Bonacic, a Republican from the Hudson Valley. "You inspire me to fight on."
Exactly how is unclear. There doesn't appear to be enough legislative support to repeal the act, or significantly amend it to peel back some provisions, though the state's top lawmakers have said they are considering some corrections to the bill, including
an exemption for film production studios using fake guns. The New York State Rifle and Pistol Association organized Thursday's rally, and is working on a legal challenge to the new law.
That group's president, Tom King, had said 10,000 people would come to the rally. A dense crowd filled West Capitol Park as well as sidewalks along Swan Street, State Street and Washington Avenue, and organizers said over 80 buses brought in ralliers from around the state. State Police Lt. Robert Poisson said the crowd was "over 5,000," though estimation is an inexact science. He said there were no law enforcement issues, and that from a police perspective the rally was "quite uneventful."
NRA President David Keene traveled to town for the rally, and said Cuomo pushed the bill "on the altar of his own ambition and on the ego of Michael Bloomberg of New York City."
Cuomo has defended the gun law, often noting that public opinion polls have found at least 2/3 of voters surveyed support it. He has characterized the dissent — including resolutions passed by half the state's counties — as the actions of a "vocal minority." A Siena Research Institute survey released earlier this month found 50 percent of Upstate voters supported the measure, compared to 46 percent who were opposed.
"People don't agree about gun control," Cuomo said Wednesday. "It's difficult. Look at the conversations in Washington D.C."
