A Jewish councilwoman has been arrested a day after being spotted on the street with a partially concealed handgun.

Inna Vernikov, a Republican representing Brooklyn, was seen carrying the gun while attending a pro-Hamas rally in her city. Chants at the protest included "globalize the intifada" and "from the river to the sea," both of which are explicit calls for the genocide of Jews. 

Alternate headline: New York City leaders have finally found a situation in which they actually want to enforce their laws.

Republican Brooklyn Councilwoman Inna Vernikov was arrested Thursday when she was spotted toting a firearm at a pro-Palestinian rally— resulting in calls for her to be removed from office.

The councilwoman, who is Jewish and has spoken out against pro-Palestinian supporters, was in attendance as protesters convened on the campus of CUNY’s Brooklyn College Thursday.

New York allows concealed carry, and Vernikov had a concealed carry permit, but certain "sensitive" areas such as protests are apparently illegal to carry in. After pictures circulated of her carrying the gun, Vernikov was contacted by police and told to turn herself in. She was then arrested and charged with illegal possession of a firearm, along with being given a bench warrant to appear in court in the future.

Vernikov posted a video of herself on Thursday at the protest in question, documenting the genocidal chants that occurred.

At @BrooklynCollege rally this afternoon with @CMFarahLouis & @KalmanYeger. If you’re standing w/ the protestors, yelling “GLOBALIZE THE INTIFADA” & “FROM THE RIVER TO THE SEA, PALESTINE WILL BE FREE” while innocent women and babies are being raped, massacred and beheaded, you’re… pic.twitter.com/7ESRAGrjtb

— Councilwoman Inna Vernikov (@InnaVernikov) October 12, 2023

Vernikov had every right to fear for her life, given the explicit calls to kill Jews that have been occurring at these various protests across the globe. Unfortunately, New York's gun laws remain an affront to the Second Amendment, disallowing the right to carry in certain circumstances. This is why right-to-carry laws are so important. In many red states, you can carry without a permit, and if you do obtain a permit, you then have the right to carry in the "sensitive" areas that New York deems off-limits.

Ask yourself, who is being protected by arresting a woman for simply carrying for self-protection? New York City is already strapped for resources, with a legal system that routinely lets repeat violent offenders off the hook. Yet, when a Jewish councilwoman uses her right to conceal carry a handgun, the police and prosecutors are Johnny on the spot. 

If it seems absurd, that's because it is absurd. The basic right to carry a firearm should not be infringed by left-wing laws that do nothing but put law-abiding citizens in danger.