The Jack-Booted Thug(s) of the Week...

... are the flunky New York City Police Department detectives who are pressuring Brooklyn resident Michael Littlejohn to register his (functional) muzzleloading Revolutionary War-era blackpowder replica rifle, even though he is under no obligation whatsoever to do so under NYC law:

"The social worker is also clinging to a little-known exemption in the city's strict gun laws.

The loophole allows license-free ownership of 'antique firearms' - defined as rifles that require the bullet and gunpowder to be loaded separately."

Which is the very definition of a muzzleloading blackpowder rifle, whether the genuine article or a functional replica.

The impetus for Mr. Littlejohn's continued harassment seems to be (who else?) disturbingly rabid anti-gun Mayor Ahab Michael Bloomberg:

"The lead detective on the case told Littlejohn's lawyer that he had orders 'from higher-ups' to pursue the case"

Just "following orders", no matter how unlawful or nonsensical they may be, eh, Detective?

"A police source says the war could end peacefully if Littlejohn applied for a permit with the NYPD handgun license division."

Except for the conveniently-overlooked facts that it's not a handgun, and that he isn't required to apply for any such permit for his rifle.

Keep up your noble fight, Mr. Littlejohn. Rest assured that if those nimrod NYPD "investigators" had a legal leg to stand on, you'd no doubt be sitting in Rikers right about now.