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Current as of January 01, 2026 | Updated by Findlaw Staff
a. It shall be unlawful for any person to appear in any public place or in the public view attired in any uniform similar to that worn by the military, semi-military, naval, police, storm troop or other official or semi-official forces of any foreign state, nation or government, or attired in any distinctive part or parts of such a uniform, or to assemble with other persons similarly attired in any camp, drill ground or other place for the purpose of engaging in military drill or training or other military practices.
b. It shall be unlawful for any person to appear in any public place, or in the public view attired in any uniform similar to that worn by the members of the storm troop of Nazi Germany, or attired in any distinctive part or parts of such a uniform, or to assemble with other persons similarly attired in any camp, drill ground or other place.
c. It shall be unlawful for any person to appear in any public place or in the public view attired in the uniform or wearing the distinctive garment of any association of persons of whatsoever nature or form which engages in, adopts, or imitates the drill formations, salutes or other methods or practices or the symbols of any foreign military, semi-military, naval, police, storm troop or similar foreign organization, or to assemble with other persons similarly attired in any camp, drill ground or other place for the purpose of engaging in military drill or training or other military practices.
d. It shall be unlawful for the proprietor, manager or keeper of a public hall, public garden, theatre or any other place of public meeting, resort or amusement to permit therein any assemblage of persons attired as prohibited in this section.
e. It shall be unlawful for any person to appear in any public place or in the public view attired in the uniform or wearing the distinctive garment of any association of persons of whatsoever nature or form which engages in, adopts, or imitates the drill formations, salutes or other methods or practices or the symbols of the members of the storm troop of Nazi Germany or similar foreign organization, or to assemble with other persons similarly attired in any camp, drill ground or other place for the purpose of engaging in military drill or training or other military practices.
f. This section shall not apply to the officers or members of the military, semi-military, naval, police or other official or semi-official forces of any foreign state, nation or government lawfully within the state of New York, the Knights of Columbus, the Boy Scouts of America, any student of any school or academy recognized by the board of regents of the state of New York, nor to the members of the cast of any stage or motion picture production characterizing the officials of a foreign state, nation or government; provided, however, that in any prosecution hereunder it shall be presumed that a person wearing the uniform of a foreign state, nation or government or of any of its official or semi-official forces or attired in any distinctive part or parts of such a uniform, was not at the time of the alleged violation of this section a member of any of the organizations excepted herein.
g. A violation of any of the provisions of this section shall be a class A misdemeanor.
Cite this article: FindLaw.com - New York Consolidated Laws, Military Law - MIL § 238-c. Wearing of uniforms; prohibited - last updated January 01, 2026 | https://codes.findlaw.com/ny/military-law/mil-sect-238-c/
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