Crowd Rallies Against New York's Gun Control Law Outside State Capitol

ALBANY, N.Y. (CBSNewYork/AP) - More than 1,000 demonstrators have again filled a park outside the state Capitol calling for repeal of New York's new gun law.

While cheering former Republican gubernatorial candidate Carl Paladino and Jeannine Pirro, a broadcaster and former Westchester County district attorney, protesters sang "God Bless America'' and held signs for the Second Amendment right to bear arms.

Pirro says Tuesday authorities should hunt criminals, not try to criminalize gun owners.

The law generally sets a seven-bullet limit in magazines, tightens the definition of illegal "assault weapons'' and requires owners of many formerly legal semi-automatic guns to register them.

Repeal now appears unlikely. Senate Republican Leader Dean Skelos says amendments haven't been discussed in recent meetings between the governor and legislative leaders.

Thousands of protesters attended a similar rally in February.

The strictest in the nation gun control measure was signed into law by Gov. Andrew Cuomo in January in response to the Dec. 14 Newtown, Conn. massacre that left 20 first graders and six educators dead.

Cuomo led the charge to implement the reforms.

That shooting rampage reignited the gun control debate nationwide, with gun advocates arguing tighter restrictions unnecessarily target law-abiding gun owners.

Gun control advocates have argued that the recent rash of mass shootings in Aurora, Colo., Tucson, Ariz., and Newtown demonstrate the need for stricter gun laws.

Mayor Michael Bloomberg, co-founder of the group Mayors Against Illegal Guns has used some of his personal fortune to campaign for gun reforms and to support candidates in favor of tighter restrictions.

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