POLS TAKE AIM AT CONEY EATERY
Fury at fundraiser for Friends of NRA
A famed Coney Island eatery is drawing heavy fire for a controversial new menu item — guns.
Gargiulo’s is hosting an NRA-linked fundraiser that includes a handgun raffle, and critics are calling the gun giveaway in the heart of New York City inexcusable — and especially tasteless in light of the Florida high- school massacre.
The Brooklyn Friends of the NRA is charging up to $5,000 for tickets to the event at the iconic Italian eatery, which includes raffles for two handguns, a gold-plated Kimber Custom II .45 and a SIG Sauer P229, and even a “John Wayne Lil’ Duke” BB gun for the kiddos.
A slew of city politicos Monday unloaded on both the century-old restaurant and the gun group over the April 12 event.
“There is no room in Coney Island or our city for events like this. We urge Gargiulo’s to expeditiously cancel this event,” reads a joint statement from Councilman Mark Treyger, Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, Public Advocate Letitia James, Comptroller Scott Stringer and state Sen. Diane Savino.
“This is deplorable that they’re giving out guns,” Keisha Boatswain, head of the Coney Island Anti-Violence Coalition, told The Post. “This is a community at need that is struggling with gun violence.”
A flier for the event promises $50 raffle tickets for prizes such as the “2018 Gun of the Year Set” — which includes the goldplated Kimber engraved with the words “Defending Freedom,” a Silver Stag hunting knife, and the BB gun.
Donations at the $750 “Heritage” level will get members a .22 Mag revolver with the NRA logo.
Higher donations yield more guns, with a $5,000 “Patriot”-level donation netting check-writers a Winchester rifle with a 24karat gold NRA engraving, along with a pair of handguns: a Kimber Custom II .45 and a Remington UMC 1911.
“This is unacceptable! We need to say loud & clear that the NRA is not welcome in Brooklyn,” tweeted Andrew Gounardes, a lawyer for Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams who is running for state Senate.
Adams, who has promoted the restaurant under his Dine In Brooklyn initiative, took aim at the NRA but not Gargiulo’s.
“There are far more friends of gun reform in Brooklyn, including responsible gun owners like me, than friends of the NRA who think it’s responsible to raffle off rifles at a fund-raiser,” said Adams, a former cop.
The group held two fund-raising auctions in Brooklyn last year, one at Gargiulo’s, another aboard a Sheepshead Bay party boat.
Gun owners must have an NYPD permit for a handgun or a license for a rifle or shotgun before taking possession of the weapon, according to the agency. “If you don’t have a permit, you walk out of there with a voucher,” Lt. John Grimpel told The Post.