NYC Council Moves to Curb Protests Outside Synagogues
The New York City Council is set to pass legislation to curb disruptive protests outside synagogues, balancing Jewish security concerns with free speech protections for pro-Palestinian protesters and progressive activists.
The 51-member body is expected to vote Thursday on two bills directing the NYPD to develop a plan for protest buffer zones around houses of worship and educational centers.
Leftist groups in New York City are planning a rally at City Hall to protest against the legislation.
The measures are part of Council Speaker Julie Menin’s five-point plan to combat antisemitism, as anti-Jewish incidents still make up a majority of reported hate crimes in the city. At least two recent synagogue protests included antisemitic slogans and chants, heightening tensions and drawing condemnation. Some see Menin as a check on the mayor and a potential guardrail against his actions.
The package includes $1.25 million for the Museum of Jewish Heritage for Holocaust education and a hotline to report antisemitic incidents.
The buffer zone proposal faces pushback from Mamdani allies, including the Democratic Socialists of America, some progressive Jewish groups, and free speech advocates, who say it unfairly targets pro-Palestinian protests and gives authorities too much discretion. Mamdani, a strident Israel critic under scrutiny from mainstream Jewish organizations, said in January he ordered a legal review and he’s said he would veto the bill if it is illegal.
City Hall has not released the review, and a spokesperson did not say whether Mamdani would sign the bills if they pass. The legislation has 35 co-sponsors, a veto-proof two-thirds majority.
“Mamdani is keenly aware of the serious concerns regarding these bills’ limiting of New Yorkers’ constitutional rights, and he will keep these concerns in mind for any bills that land on his desk,” spokesperson Dora Pekec said. “He wants to ensure both the right to prayer and the right to protest are protected.”
The bills do not ban protests or set a fixed distance. An earlier proposal for 100-foot buffer zones was dropped after Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch warned a one-size-fits-all rule might not survive legal challenges and could be unworkable across neighborhoods. The revised language refers to “security perimeters” and gives the NYPD authority over implementation.
The final draft calls for a plan to address risks of obstruction, injury, intimidation, and interference at places of worship while preserving rights to free speech, assembly, and protest.
At the state level, Gov. Kathy Hochul has proposed a similar 25-foot buffer zone around houses of worship, now under negotiation as part of budget talks ahead of an April 1 deadline. A similar effort is also under consideration in California.
