Overview
- A not-yet-introduced Council bill from Speaker Julie Menin would create protest-free safety zones around entrances to houses of worship and schools, with distances under discussion up to 100 feet.
- The proposal goes beyond Gov. Kathy Hochul’s statewide 25-foot concept and would task the NYPD with ensuring clear access for congregants and students.
- Menin’s five-point plan adds security reimbursements, camera funding, mandatory safety training, a dedicated reporting hotline, and $1.25 million for Holocaust education at the Museum of Jewish Heritage.
- Mayor Zohran Mamdani directed the NYPD and the Law Department to assess the legality of buffer zones and has deferred a stance until the review concludes.
- Legal scholars caution the measure will face First Amendment scrutiny, as NYPD data showing 330 antisemitic incidents out of 576 hate crimes in 2025 and recent synagogue protests with pro-Hamas and “globalize the intifada” chants drive the push for action.