NYPD Bans Firearms at Jewish Parade Targeted by Islamic Extremists

The Israel Day Parade is a yearly event that has been held in New York City every year since 1964. It is a day where Jewish New Yorkers and Pro-Israel Christians celebrate Israel and everything Israeli, with many schools and youth groups marching down 5th Avenue with floats, flags, and music. Traditionally, many groups marched with rifles in the parade, and while the carrying of concealed firearms has always been heavily restricted in New York City, there was never an outright ban on legal weapons at this, or any other parade.

This year, apparently for the first time, legal firearms have been explicitly prohibited at the Parade, both for private citizens, as well as for armed security guards. This comes at a time of unprecedented antisemitism in the US, specifically in New York City, with violent, pro-Hamas Islamist groups regularly targeting Synagogues, Jewish neighborhoods, and Jewish events with harassment, threats, violence and intimidation. These groups have identified the Israel Day Parade as a prime target, with a large concentration of “Zionist Infidels” in one place to attack.

It is no coincidence that terrorists, criminals and mass shooters specifically target areas designated as “gun free zones” to carry out their mayhem, as they know victims cannot shoot back.

The 2022 Bruen Decision overturned New York’s restrictive “may issue” permitting system, and New York City residents with no criminal record and a clean bill of mental health are now able to obtain CCW’s for self-defense. However, even these heavily-vetted, licensed gun owners are prohibited from defending themselves at this parade, which the NYPD knows full well is a prime target for Hamas, Antifa, and radical organizations.

Betar Zionist Youth Movement is one of the groups that will be marching in the parade, and has been doing so since the first parade in 1964. Aside from being pro-Israel, Betar is extremely pro-2nd Amendment, and in previous years, Betar marched with rifles, with members feeling secure in their ability to defend themselves if the need arose.

Betar posted on X about the new NYPD regulations prohibiting guns at the parade, which immediately sparked outrage in the Jewish community, as many New York Jews now carry, and an edict prohibiting weapons at this event makes many in the community feel that the NYPD and NYC government is intentionally enabling antisemitic groups to target the NY Jewish community.

In an email to Firearms News, Betar Spokesman, Jonathan Levy said that there is “Terrible danger for Jews to gather in NYC without legal weapons being permitted at the least for the largest gathering of Jews in America. As Jews are unsafe in NYC generally with a low level of faith in the NYPD we are disappointed that this is the case,” 

On May 21st, a radical left wing Socialist opened fire on an event outside the Jewish Museum in Washington DC, killing two Israeli Embassy staffers and wounding several others. While being detained by police, he was caught on camera screaming, “Free, Free Palestine!” 

This latest terror attack underlines the fact that Jewish and Israeli events are not safe in America, and the draconian gun control laws imposed by tyrannical Democrat-controlled states and cities directly puts these events at risk while doing absolutely nothing to hinder attackers from using illegally possessed weapons against their unarmed victims.

The U.S. Constitution guarantees Americans of all faiths Freedom of Religion, Freedom of Expression, and the Right to Bear Arms. Situations like these remind us that the 2nd Amendment is there to ensure that the people don’t lose their other rights. In New York City, there clearly is a very long way to go until average citizens can enjoy life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. The NYPD did not respond to Firearms News’ request for comment on this matter. 

About the author: Yonatan Stern, is an IDF veteran and professional firearms instructor. He is the director of Cherev Gidon Israeli Tactical Training Academy in Honesdale, PA. Yonatan can be reached at: mefaked@cherevgidon.com 

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