Charges Dropped for NYC Council Member Who Brought Gun to Rally
Inna Vernikov, a Brooklyn councilwoman, will not face charges after bringing an unloaded and inoperable pistol to a pro-Palestinian rally at Brooklyn College. While she had a permit for the weapon, openly carrying firearms is not allowed in New York State. Prosecutors dismissed the charges, stating that the gun was incapable of firing bullets. Vernikov, a conservative Republican, was re-elected to a second term in November and has presented herself as a fighter against antisemitism. Her arrest drew condemnation from various groups, including calls for her resignation.