City Council Member Inna Vernikov found herself in custody on Friday morning, facing charges of criminal firearm possession following her presence at a rally where a visible firearm was photographed on her waist.
Vernikov voluntarily turned herself in at the NYPD’s 70th Precinct in Brooklyn, and she subsequently surrendered her gun license, as confirmed by an NYPD spokesperson to POLITICO.
Photographs circulating on social media, including X (formerly known as Twitter), depicted Vernikov with a firearm holstered on her hip while participating in a counterprotest during a pro-Palestinian rally outside Brooklyn College on Thursday afternoon. The NYPD spokesperson specified that the firearm in question was identified as a black Smith & Wesson 9 mm.
Despite having a concealed carry license, attorney Ali Najmi raised concerns on X, suggesting that Vernikov may have violated state laws by possessing a firearm during a protest.
Vernikov, a Republican, has been an advocate for Israel and voiced concerns about the impact of the rally on safety at CUNY campuses. Early Friday, an NYPD spokesperson informed POLITICO that there were no reported arrests or incidents linked to the protest.
Although Vernikov did not respond to requests for comment, she shared a video from the student protest, where she stated, “If you are here, standing today with these people, you’re nothing short of a terrorist without the bombs.”
Criminal possession of a firearm in a sensitive location carries the designation of a Class E felony.
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17 Responses
The Headline is a little misleading- she was at the pro-Palestinian rally protesting them
New York’s “Finest” Nothing bettter to do.
so this is who they arrest someone defending herself, not the terrorists just like with Trump they arrest him for some assessments but MILLIONS in bribes by hunter and joe biden are fine.
Only black thugs are allowed to carry illegal guns in NYC. Not licensed white law abiding citizens. I get it. Sedom.
Headline is misleading. Seems like she is a Palestinian.
the judge, It doesn’t say they went after her, she went to them. They have a job to do. her statement was, is and will continue to be perfect. It’s not the fault of the police.
If I lived in her district, I would rush to the polls on election day to vote for her.
Time to move to a free State where you can actually carry, and not just possess a useless permit
They are picking on her.
they forgot, jews are not white….chiusk tonight……just tonight
it was a statement and the law is the law.
wrong or right, we don’t have some “trump card” to run amuck and what ever we want like the blacks do, with the excuse of violence done to us (and the violence done to blacks was much less-not comparable).
This is my third time writing about the tzniyus issue on the picture. It’s really not ok. At the very least please offer an explanation or replace the picture with a gun. Thanks.
President Donald Trump on Truth Social
“ What happened in Israel was barbaric! Now American Universities are allowing or enabling the open hatred against Israel and America! Instead of educating our young Americans, Deans stand idly by while subversive groups are calling for a National Day of Resistance. Not only is this antisemitic, it is also anti-American. Students have begged Deans to throw these subversive groups off campus. We banned Nazis, banned Communists, it is about time that we remove these antisemites from our schools or is the Cancel Culture only used against Conservatives?”
jewGut, an unconstitutional law is not a law at all, and we have every right to disobey it.
“Despite having a concealed carry license, attorney Ali Najmi raised concerns on X, suggesting that Vernikov may have violated state laws by possessing a firearm during a protest.”
There seems to be a typo here. It should state “terrorist Ali Najmi”
Another weaponization of the law.
@Milhouse,
why is it unconstitutional??
Very understandable not to be allowed to publicly display a loaded firearm (or was it not)???
@Milhouse,
why is it unconstitutional??
Very understandable not to be allowed to publicly display a loaded firearm (or was it not)???
and thank you YWN for taking that bad picture down