A Second Amendment activist group has filed a lawsuit in New York to block the state from enforcing a recent ban on body armor.
Firearms Policy Coalition (FPC), a California-based non-profit known for challenging laws it views as violations of the Second Amendment, filed the lawsuit on Monday. The lawsuit argues that the ban is unconstitutional and seeks a declaratory judgment affirming that New Yorkers have the right to bear arms, including body armor, according to Fox News. The group is also seeking a permanent injunction to prevent the ban from taking effect.
New York’s law, passed following the Buffalo supermarket shooting in May 2022, restricts the sale of vests that are “bullet-resistant soft body armor.” The state believed this ban would prevent criminals from becoming more defensible against officers while committing crimes. Under the law, a person cannot purchase or possess body armor in New York unless it is used for an eligible profession, such as law enforcement.
FPC President Brandon Combs condemned the law as the group announced the lawsuit, arguing it is unconstitutional.
“New York’s body armor ban shows that the state’s commitment to authoritarianism has collapsed into absurdity, making it a crime to buy and use simple personal protective equipment,” Combs said his statement. “New York’s laws have gone so far off the deep end that it would surprise exactly no one if Gov. Hochul and her goons banned safety glasses next. FPC looks forward to eliminating this unconstitutional law and teaching New York another lesson about constitutionally protected rights.”
New York, which already has some of the most restrictive gun laws in the country, continues to impose stringent measures, such as requiring individuals to demonstrate moral character when applying for a gun permit. The state also bans concealed carry in “sensitive places,” a broad term that can be applied to a variety of public settings.
This piece first appeared at TPUSA.
