So, Hoodlums were attacking Chassidim in Crown Heights on Shabbos, demanding their money. And because they didn’t carry money on Shabbos, they were getting beaten up. So, they asked the rabbbis if there was a heter to carry… money (instead of asking about carrying guns).
Luckily, the JDL soon came into the picture. The JDL didn’t carry money on Shabbbos, but they did carry weapons and a willingness to use them!