A watered-down 'buffer zone' bill for houses of worship passes NYC Council
(RNS) — The New York City Council passed a bill Thursday (March 26) calling for buffer zones around places of worship in an attempt to protect them from rowdy protesters.
But the bill that passed with a solid majority, 44-5, with one abstention, was a watered-down version of what Council Speaker Julie Menin initially called for.
The bill, which had been much discussed after a November protest was held outside a prominent Manhattan synagogue, directs the New York Police Department to present a plan to the mayor and the council within 45 days, explaining how the city will use “security perimeters” to help safeguard houses of worship.
Menin, who is Jewish, had originally called for secure buffer zones of up to 100 feet outside of houses of worship. But Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch raised concerns that the bill would restrict the police’s ability to determine the size of the necessary buffer zones. Others raised free speech concerns and said a buffer zone law would only serve to intimidate those fighting for Palestinian human rights.
The bill was originally conceived after protesters gathered outside the Park East Synagogue in New York on Nov. 19, as it hosted an event promoting immigration to Israel. During the protest outside the Orthodox synagogue, some shouted “death to the IDF,” “globalize the intifada” and “We don’t want no Zionists here.” The protest was led by PAL-Awda, a Palestinian rights coalition.
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Park East Synagogue in New York. (Photo by Ajay Suresh/Wikimedia/Creative Commons)
The protests were intimidating for those wanting to access the event — which was sponsored by Nefesh B’Nefesh, an organization that promotes Jewish immigration to Israel and to dozens of settlements in the occupied West Bank.
Zohran Mamdani, then mayor-elect, condemned the protesters’ rhetoric but also said “sacred spaces” should not be used to promote activities in violation of international law, rattling many Jews who fear he will not protect those who champion Israel.
Now as mayor, Mamdani cannot veto the measure because it passed by a veto-proof margin. It’s not clear if he will sign it.
Mamdani could, however, choose to veto another measure that would direct the NYPD to devise a protest response plan to protect access to schools, including universities. That bill passed 30-19.
The New York Jewish Agenda, a mainstream Jewish organization, supported the measure. Nancy Kaufman, its chair and interim executive director, described it as an “important step toward protecting people of all religious backgrounds while safeguarding free expression” and said she hoped Mamdani would sign the bill. The UJA-Federation of New York and the Jewish Community Relations Council-New York also celebrated the bill’s passage.
For Menin, it is a victory of sorts. She has positioned herself as a political foil to Mamdani’s strong anti-Zionist, pro-Palestinian views. She often touts her family history as the daughter and granddaughter of Holocaust survivors who escaped Hungary and has established strong support for New York’s Jewish community, which is wary of Mamdani.
Before the vote Thursday, Menin said that “an increase in hateful acts across the city is absolutely abhorrent, and we had to do something about it.” She was expected to celebrate the bill’s passage with Jewish leaders on Friday at Park East Synagogue.