Friday, October 13, 2023 3:48PM
BROOKLYN (WABC) — City Councilmember Inna Vernikov was charged with criminal possession of a firearm after showing up to Thursday’s Brooklyn College protest with a gun visible in her hip.
The councilwoman, a Ukrainian-born lawyer who represents southern Brooklyn, surrendered to the 70th Precinct with her attorney and was issued a summons to appear in court at a later date.
She also surrendered both her weapon and her permit to carry a firearm.
Vernikov has a concealed carry license, but appears to be breaking the state law passed earlier this year making it illegal to possess a gun at a protest.
She was counter-protesting the pro-Palestine rally organized by the Brooklyn College chapter of Students for Justice in Palestine Day of Action.
Vernikov is Jewish and has been vocal in support of Israel. She claimed in a statement the rally would make CUNY campuses unsafe.
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“At no point in time was anyone menaced or injured as a result of her possessing the firearm at the earlier protest,” a police statement said.
She posted a video Thursday stating, “If you are here, standing today with these people, you’re nothing short of a terrorist without the bombs.”
Gov. Kathy Hochul commented on social media saying, “New York’s gun safety laws apply to everyone.”
CUNY For Palestine, which has a running disagreement with the councilwoman, posted one of the many pictures of her with her weapon and a statemen:
“At today’s rally on Brooklyn College campus led by the students in their SJP chapter, Inna Vernikov showed up showcasing a gun to Palestinian students and their allies. These are the tactics of force and intimidation used by zionist groups to silence any support for Palestine.”
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