A group of Orthodox Jews in New York City are suing a new state law banning the carrying of firearms in chapels, claiming it essentially turns them into ‘sitting ducks’. .
A Jewish congregation in Midwood, Brooklyn, opposes the state’s Concealed Carry Improvement Act signed by New York Democratic Gov. and filed a lawsuit. New York Post reported.
The law prohibits holders of concealed-carry permits from carrying weapons into “sensitive areas,” including “places of worship and religious observation,” and the lawsuit alleged that Jewish synagogue passers-by claims to be at risk.
“You’re ducking them,” Amir Benno, a lawyer representing the group, told the outlet. “It’s not a myth that Jewish places of worship are objects of hate.”
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“I am proud to represent the plaintiffs in this lawsuit. @KathyHochul’s laws are blatantly unconstitutional,” said Benno said on Twitter“And her affront to basic rights and religious liberty is intolerable!”
The lawsuit argues that depriving synagogue worshipers of their ability to defend themselves prevents Jews from freely practicing their religion due to security concerns, and that the law on what constitutes a religious observation site is a violation of the law. He says the wording is ambiguous.
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New York City has been plagued by a surge in hate crimes targeting Jews, and the NYPD released figures showing a 300% increase in attacks this year.
In addition, there have been several high-profile attacks on synagogues across the country in the past few years, including a synagogue massacre in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, in which 11 people died.
A federal judge blocked enforcement of several provisions of the new law on Thursday, but the provisions regarding places of worship remained largely unchanged.
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Ho Chul’s office did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
The controversial bill was passed by Hochul shortly after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned New York’s requirement to conceal and carry permit holders with “good cause” before obtaining a permit. Signed.