New York Gun rights advocates swamp Capitol - “Cuomo’s gotta go!”

**AirborneSapper7** · 02-28-2013, 04:47 PM

Gun rights advocates swamp Capitol

Posted on February 28, 2013 at 10:55 am by Jimmy Vielkind, Capitol bureau in Andrew Cuomo, Guns

We’re well over an hour before the scheduled start of today’s Second Amendment rally at the Capitol, but certainly more than a thousand people are already gathering in West Capitol Park and at the Capitol.

“Cuomo’s gotta go!” The crowd chanted around 10:15 a.m.

In addition to the people in the park, the line to enter the Capitol on the Empire State Plaza concourse stretches back to the Egg. People are holding signs denouncing Gov. Andrew Cuomo, a Democrat who pushed for the gun control bill that is the subject of the protest.

Extra State Police troopers have been brought in to manage the crowd; I saw cars from the Hudson Valley in the garage.

This rally is scheduled to kick off at noon, but organizers are hoping some of the thousands of people expected from around the state will meet with their legislators. Cuomo is not here: he’s in Brooklyn and Long Island talking about his current platform.

Once things do start, there will be speeches by NRA President David Keene and vocal opponents of new law, dubbed NY-SAFE, including Republican Sens. Kathy Marchione (of Halfmoon) and Greg Ball (of Putnam County).

Here are two videos showing the security line to get in to the Capitol, and of chanting in the park.

Gun rights advocates in line to enter Capitol - YouTube

"Cuomo's gotta go!" - YouTube

Gun rights advocates, bearing signs, queue up to get into the New York State Capitol. (Jimmy Vielkind/Times Union)

Capitol Confidential » Gun rights advocates swamp Capitol