Under the law in place since 1913, New York residents needed to show proper cause, or an actual need, to carry a concealed handgun in public for self-defense.
Gun violence prevention groups gathered in Union Square in New York angered over U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling making it easier for legal carry of firearms.
A New York state law that had restricted who could obtain a permit to carry a gun in public was struck down on Thursday.
Under the law in place since 1913, New York residents needed to show proper cause, or an actual need, to carry a concealed handgun in public for self-defense.
The justices said that law conflicts with the Second Amendment’s right to bear arms. It drew swift reaction from local protest groups advocating for prevention laws.
One woman told The Associated Press that despite experiencing adversities since the pandemic with the backlash against Asian Americans, this news has made her “take pause” on remaining in the city.
New York and a half a dozen other states with similar laws now must decide their next steps.
As with New York, California, Hawaii, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey and Rhode Island all have legislatures controlled by Democrats who could propose measures to ensure that guns will not be allowed in certain places.
Gun rights groups in those states have vowed to continue pushing back against what they view as restrictive gun control laws.
Some of those cases eventually could make their way to the nation’s high court.
A rundown of the similar laws in the other states, reaction to the Supreme Court ruling and what could happen next