The 5 most ridiculous laws of the state of New York

Here you come to New York and think: "Here it is, the land of freedom! I'm breathing in and feeling democracy right now! Finally, I will be able to feel what real self-government and "the power of the people, by the will of the people and for the people" are!"

Not sou fast. Since theoretically any citizen can be elected to the authorities, representatives of the people often had completely inadequate ideas, which then turned into the same laws. If we add to this the fact that it is much easier to adopt the law than to repeal it, it is not surprising that there are still a lot of laws from two centuries ago, when the culture and moral views of the local population were radically different from modern ones. So what should you be afraid of during your trip to the Big Apple?

Evgeny Krasnov, an adviser to the Buzko & Partners law firm, who is in New York and advises on US law, spoke about real legislative prohibitions in the state of New York.

Treason

Temptation is everywhere in New York: beautiful people from all over the world, bars at every turn, an atmosphere of friendly communication all around. But beware! If you came to New York by yourself, leaving your spouse overseas, adultery can have consequences beyond public condemnation. After all, the criminal law of the state of New York still provides for liability for "sexual intercourse with another person while he has a living spouse or another person has a living spouse." Be persistent — you should not risk imprisonment for up to one year.

People in masks

"Okay—" you think, "temptation is temptation, but you can just have fun! I'll buy myself a Darth Vader mask and go to a Star Wars fan meetup." Alas, even here you will have to be on your guard. If, upon arriving at the meeting place, you saw another person there with a Vader mask, or Yoda, or any mask at all, turn around and leave. The fact is that the same Criminal Law prohibits a person with a mask from being in a "public place with other persons disguised or hidden in a similar way." For this, you may face a fine.

Performances from windows

And yet you are in New York, where absolutely everything inspires: streams of people, skyscrapers, ethnic cuisine, yellow taxis… I just want to open the window of my rented apartment with Airbnb in Brooklyn, go out on the fire escape platform, turn on the music to the fullest and start dancing. But do not take an example from Eddie Murphy: public performances of this kind "from any window or open space of any house or building" are prohibited by the Administrative Code of the City of New York. Puppet shows, ballet and dancing, comedy, farce, plays and other performances fall under the ban. So rehearse your stand-up routine away from windows - otherwise the guards may disrupt your plans.

Cat and dog hair

New York is an expensive city. Your trip is coming to an end, and the money supply is rapidly decreasing. But you are not discouraged: in a burst of inspiration from the entrepreneurial spirit of the concrete jungle, you come up with a brilliant business idea: to catch cats and dogs, cut them, and sell wool on eBay. Does it sound wild? Definitely. But illegal? It turns out that yes. The New York State Law on Agriculture and Markets prohibits trading in "the wool, hair, skin and flesh of a domestic dog (canis familiaris) or a domestic cat (felis catus or domesticus)." If you really want to make money on pets, it's better to make a selection of funny pictures with them: at least, the authorities have not yet seen anything illegal on the site "Cats that look like Hitler".

Tigers and selfies

Having studied the sights of New York in detail, you have included the Bronx Zoo in your mandatory program. There are a lot of exotic animals around, and here you come to Tiger Mountain. Without even thinking, you take out your phone, turn your back to the tiger and point the lens at yourself. But before you even have time to say: "Cheese!", a guard rushes to you and menacingly shouts something about "put yor camera down!!". You're at a complete loss, but here's the thing: in 2014, the governor of New York State signed a law prohibiting "direct contact" (including photographing) with "big cats". Eh, we'll have to settle for ourselves with a long-eared jumper.