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Jewish NYC lawmaker Inna Vernikov arrested after carrying gun to pro-Palestinian protest
(New York Jewish Week) — Jewish New York City Councilwoman Inna Vernikov was arrested on Friday after appearing with a handgun outside a pro-Palestinian protest, as tensions flared in the city following Hamas’ devastating attack on Israel, and Israel’s military response in Gaza.
Vernikov, a Republican, attended the protest at Brooklyn College on Thursday afternoon to repudiate the pro-Palestinian demonstrators.
“There is a ton of police and we made sure that Jewish students feel safe,” she said in a video she posted from the scene to X, as protesters chanted “Free Palestine” behind her.
She also brought a gun, according to police and images from the scene that showed a gun tucked into her waistband. While Vernikov had a license to own a gun, guns are not permitted in “sensitive locations” in New York, including on college campuses and at protests.
One image was posted on social media by Jews for Racial and Economic Justice, a progressive group, which charged that Vernikov “brought a GUN to a rally to intimidate students” and used the hashtag #ExpelVernikov.
Police contacted Vernikov after the images circulated and she turned herself into the NYPD’s 70th precinct, where she was charged with criminal possession of a firearm. A protest is considered a “sensitive location” under New York firearms law, and criminal possession at such an event is a felony.
Vernikov surrendered her firearms license at the precinct and could face further consequences.
The New York City Council said in a statement that the incident was being investigated and “may require the recusal of committee members.”
The council said, “It is unacceptable and unlawful for a civilian to ever bring a firearm to a rally or protest, and especially important for elected officials to model a respect for the law that is expected of all New Yorkers.”
New York State Gov. Kathy Hochul said, “New York’s gun safety laws apply to everyone.”
New York State Senator Julia Salazar said on X, “There is no excuse, none whatsoever, for an elected official to bring a firearm to a college campus in New York.”
Officially a licensed gun owner! pic.twitter.com/5W4GQYyXXb
— Councilwoman Inna Vernikov (@InnaVernikov) September 5, 2023
Vernikov, a lawyer, did not immediately respond to a request for comment. She posted on social media last month that she was officially a licensed gun owner, adding that she was going to bring the firearm “to as many places as I’m legally allowed to.” She also signaled that she was interested in a challenge to New York’s concealed carry law that seeks to widen the number of places where guns can be brought.
Vernikov, 39, is the City Council minority whip representing the 48th district in south Brooklyn and was elected to office in 2021. Born in what is today Ukraine, she represents parts of south Brooklyn with a significant Jewish population, including many immigrants from the former Soviet Union. She has been heavily involved in Jewish and pro-Israel causes, both as a city councilmember and before taking office.
Ahead of the protest, she released a statement urging caution due to the war but said the NYPD reported no credible threats of violence or terror in New York.
In a video posted from the rally, she described the demonstrators as “nothing short of terrorists, without the bombs.”
On Friday, as pro-Palestinian protesters demonstrated in Manhattan, Vernikov was silent on the issue. Instead, she tweeted prayers for people in Israel and thanks to those trying to help stranded Americans get home.
One of the first responses focused on her arrest. “There’s news being broadcast that you were arrested and charged with a felony for carrying your firearm near a school. A firearm that you had a Concealed Carry permit to carry. Is this true?” one commenter replied. “Do you have an attorney yet? Can we set up a fund to help you?”
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The post Jewish NYC lawmaker Inna Vernikov arrested after carrying gun to pro-Palestinian protest appeared first on Jewish Telegraphic Agency.
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PA Security Forces End Standoff with Jenin Battalion, Enter West Bank Camp
Illustrative. Palestinian demonstrators call for an end to clashes between Palestinian security forces and terrorists in Jenin, in the West Bank, Dec. 16, 2024. Photo: REUTERS/Raneen Sawafta
i24 News – The Palestinian Authority on Friday reached an agreement with the jihadists of the Jenin Battalion, ending a six-week standoff in the northern West Bank terror hotbed.
The Jenin Battalion is a local jihadist militia affiliated with Hamas and the Islamic Jihad.
The PA’s engineering and civil defense crews will begin dismantling explosives planted across Jenin, Palestinian media reported.
A Palestinian security source told i24NEWS that not a single weapon has been handed over by the Jenin Battalion to PA security forces.
The post PA Security Forces End Standoff with Jenin Battalion, Enter West Bank Camp first appeared on Algemeiner.com.
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With Hamas Yet to Name 3 First Hostages to Be Released, Netanyahu Slams Violation of Agreement
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaks during a news conference in Jerusalem, Sept. 2, 2024. Photo: Ohad Zwigenberg/Pool via REUTERS
i24 News – Hamas violated the terms of its agreement with Israel even before the ceasefire went into effect, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu pointed out on Saturday.
The jihadist group failed to submit to Israel the names of the three hostages slated to be freed on Sunday, in contravention to the terms of the ceasefire stipulating that this information be communicated 24 hours in advance.
“We will not move forward with the outline until we receive the list of hostages to be released, as agreed. Israel will not tolerate violations of the agreement,” Netanyahu said some three hours after the names should have been submitted. “The sole responsibility lies with Hamas.”
The post With Hamas Yet to Name 3 First Hostages to Be Released, Netanyahu Slams Violation of Agreement first appeared on Algemeiner.com.
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US Slaps Sanctions on Yemeni Bank with Ties to Houthis
Houthi leader Abdul-Malik al-Houthi addresses followers via a video link at the al-Shaab Mosque, formerly al-Saleh Mosque, in Sanaa, Yemen, Feb. 6, 2024. Photo: REUTERS/Khaled Abdullah
i24 News – The US on Friday imposed sanctions on a Yemen-based financial institution that Washington accused of financially supporting the Houthis, as President Joe Biden’s administration sought to further pressure the Iran-backed jihadists before Biden leaves office.
The US Treasury Department said it imposed sanctions on Yemen Kuwait Bank, accusing it of helping the Houthis exploit the Yemeni banking sector to launder money and transfer funds to allies, including fellow Iranian proxy Hezbollah.
In addition to numerous attacks on Israel’s civilian centers since November 2023, the Houthis have carried out more than 100 attacks on ships, sinking two vessels, seizing another and killing at least four seafarers. The intensity of the attacks has disrupted global shipping and prompted route changes.
The attacks have disrupted international commerce, forcing some ships to take the long route around southern Africa rather than the Suez Canal, leading to increases in insurance rates, delivery costs and time that stoked global inflation fears.
The Houthis, a fundamentally antisemitic jihadist group, seized power in Yemen in late 2014 and control most parts of the country including the capital Sanaa.
The post US Slaps Sanctions on Yemeni Bank with Ties to Houthis first appeared on Algemeiner.com.