State police harassed attendees and confiscated their replica guns, according to groups like the Shooters Committee on Political Education:
SCOPE contends Governor Cuomo and his staff orchestrated rules and regulations that were enforced by troopers in order to intimidate protesters and disrupt their demonstration.
"I was there, and it was total intimidation," said New York State Assemblyman David DiPietro of East Aurora. "That was done by the governor on purpose to try and intimidate people."
As a result of the tension, SCOPE filed a Freedom of Information Law request to the state to obtain documents they believe would show Cuomo and his staff "micromanaged" the rally, ordering police to act brashly toward the gun rights supporters.
A state supreme court judge ruled in favor of the protesters and has informed the governor's office he has 30 days to hand over the documents or appeal the decision. They told WGRZ reporter Michael Wooten they intend to do the latter.
From all angles, it's clear these gun rights activists were just demonstrating their First Amendment rights, fed up with Cuomo's obsession with anti-gun policies.
This is not the only victory for New York gun rights against the intimidating Cuomo administration. In May, the governor was ordered to release records from his SAFE Act’s assault weapons registry after initially denying over 2,000 FOIA requests.
The liberal governor can only mess with New Yorker's First (and Second) Amendment rights for so long. They're making their voices heard.