NRA Photo Of NY Lawmakers Next To Bullets Gets Backlash From De Blasio

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- Two New York lawmakers are lashing out at the the National Rifle Association after the group published a photo of the women surrounded by bullets.

The photo features images of State Senator Roxanne Persaud and State Assemblywoman Jo Anne Simon placed next to several bullets. The image was published by the NRA publication 'America's First Freedom,' and also appeared on the NRA's Twitter and Facebook pages.

"I find it hard to imagine that it is not intended to be a threat," Simon told WCBS 880's Alex Silverman.

Simon said she's been receiving demeaning and misogynistic emails since the tweet went up on Monday.

"It;s producing the response it sought to produce," Simon said.

Simon and Persaud are sponsoring legislation limiting ammunition sales.

'America's First Freedom' published an article alongside the image, titled "Ban Antics In New York," which criticized Simon and Persaud's sponsorship of a bill that would limit ammunition sales.

"In truth, this is one of the most ridiculous anti-gun schemes I've seen in some time," writes America's First Freedom Editor Mark Chesnut in the Jan 4. piece. "...But Sen. Persaud and Assemblywoman Simon simply don't care about that—they greatly dislike gun owners and want to make life harder for them, to hell with the consequences."

Bill de Blasio showed support for the two state lawmakers on his Twitter page, telling the NRA to "knock it off."

An NRA spokeswoman told WCBS 880 they were currently unable to give comment on the issue, as they were preparing a response to President Barack Obama's executive order on gun control laws.