The Jewish Firearms Club of New York State filed a lawsuit Thursday over a ban on carrying firearms inside a synagogue or other place of worship. “New York does not allow law-abiding religious citizens to exercise both religious freedom and the right to bear arms at the same time”
The Jewish Gun Club of New York State filed a lawsuit Thursday against the state over a ban on carrying firearms inside a synagogue or other place of worship. The state has determined that synagogues are included in the category of “sensitive sites” where guns are not allowed.
The club released the following message to the media: “The State of New York wants religious citizens to choose between two rights; the right to practice religion freely as set forth in the First Amendment, and the right to bear firearms as set forth in the Second Amendment. It does not allow religious, law-abiding citizens to practice it- temporarily both religious freedom and the right to bear arms, without labeling them as criminals. This new law infringes on the First Amendment rights of legal gun owners, as well as the Second Amendment rights of religious people.”
It goes on to say: “The new law also violates the right to due process and equal protection under the Fourteenth Amendment. According to the chokehold, people who legally own firearms receive harsher treatment when they are in a place where religious activity is taking place. There does not appear to be a compelling government interest that can justify the The lack of equal protection under the law for religious people.”
It also said: “We trust that the court will quickly overturn this discriminatory and unconstitutional law that specifically targets religious observance, restoring the rights of New Yorkers who seek to enjoy the most basic freedoms contained in our Bill of Rights and recognized by the United States Supreme Court “.