Second Amendment Rights Rally

2/9/2013 (Updated 11:02:04 PM)

NORWICH -- Hundreds of area residents came together Saturday hoping to send Governor Cuomo a message--overturn the SAFE Act.

Local residents, members of the Tea Party and area gun rights organizations gathered in front of the Supreme Court Building in Norwich.  The group is rallying against the new stricter gun control law passed by Governor Cuomo in January.  The protest was put together by John Ballard, a gunsmith who works with firearms for hunters, museums and gun collectors.  He says the law is hurting his business.

"When the gun laws took-- it affected my family as far as income so I want to make a stance as an everyday citizen and say as a New Yorker, we've had enough," said John Ballard, Rally Organizer.

"We pay taxes, we are law abiding citizens, we are not criminals.  We have the right to own guns.  We do not have the right to have this legislation jammed down our throat," says Gilda Ward, Norwich Tea Party Patriot. 

On Tuesday, thousands of New Yorkers are expected to head to Albany to protest the SAFE Act.