I've seen a few OC demonstrations where people are carrying their pistols openly my question is, if they get arrested, now they have an arrest to explain during background checks.
Its happened a few times here in VA, where unlicensed Open Carry has long been legal. Unfortunately a few local law enforcement agencies and their City Attorneys don't like following state law.
To my knowledge, nearly all of the arrests did not result in charges, and the few that did were thrown out in court. (Including one in which the city claimed that city property was actually private property because the city had contracted with a private firm to manage said property)
A few even ended up with the arresting city paying hefty settlements to the OC'er. All largely due to the efforts of the VCDL, OCD
rg, and its members.
OC "demonstrations" are not civil disobedience. They strictly follow the letter of the law, and still run into legal trouble. Meanwhile, 4:20 rallies are shrouded in a haze of smoke, and public nudity and sex are found at some Gay Pride Rallies, all ignored by law enforcement. What does that say about our society?
Unfortunately, in NY you have few options. Open Carrying as civil disobedience would only hurt the cause, as the media coverage would be "nut job arrested with a gun," and your chances of firearms ownership in the future would evaporate.
An empty holster protest is a good idea, they have had good effects on college campuses where carry has been prohibited. Make sure you check all applicable laws. I highly doubt they could prohibit the wearing of a piece of leather or plastic, but in the post-9/11 era, especially in NYC and "special security zones," common sense and the 1st, 2nd, and 4th Amendments are thrown to the wind.
