Politics & Government

Pro Gun Advocates Rally in Mineola Against NY SAFE Act

Various groups call for repeal of act limiting number of rounds in ammo clips.

The following article was posted by Geoffrey Walter. It was written by Zachary Englis.

A group of pro-gun advocates staged a rally on the corners of Willis Avenue and Mineola Boulevard along Jericho Turnpike in Mineola Saturday afternoon to protest against the New York Secure Ammunition and Firearms Enforcement Act, aka the NY SAFE Act.

One of the protesters, who declined to be identified, explained that the group is upset over the passage of this due to the expedited passage of the legislation and that if there was more time for the public to see the act, it would not have been passed.

The NY SAFE Act was signed into law on Jan. 13 of this year in response to the shootings at the Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, CT and bans use of high capacity magazines in firearms, reducing the number of allowable rounds in a clip from 10 to seven.

Nassau County Police Officers were also present on the scene to ensure safety during the demonstration.

The protestors, which included members of the Oath Keepers, a group comprised of military veterans, firefighters and EMTs, stated that they chose the Mineola location because it was in close proximity to the Garden City Park office of Sen. Jack Martins and hope to repeal the act.

“What happens is, as happens very often, is you have politicians that say they are going to stand by you,” another protestor who also declined to be identified said. “This is what our platform is, and the minute they get elected they change everything and they still get paid and they still get pensions. You really can’t believe everything you hear.”

The Oath Keepers state on their organization’s website that they “will NOT obey any order to disarm the American people.”

Classic Firearms, a Mineola gun shop, is also located on Jericho Turnpike near the rally. The business declined to comment on the rally.

"They’re certainly within their rights to protest although banging on the doors and windows of my house and frightening my daughters when I wasn’t home was really a pitiful attempt at intimidation," Sen. Martins said in a statement.  "This legislation is packed with positives: background checks to keep guns away from people who shouldn’t have them, funding for greater security at our children’s schools and most important, it makes illegal gun possession a felony with mandatory jail time. It’s going to keep our communities safer without question."

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