New York City's City Council has passed a new law requiring the New York Police Department (NYPD) to officially report to the Council on its methods for preventing protesters from harassing individuals near K-12 schools and childcare centers. The legislation, which passed with a veto-proof majority, was approved Tuesday night.
The new law, sponsored by Democratic Councilwoman Elsie Encarnación, excludes colleges and universities, which have been the site of numerous anti-Israel protests. This exclusion has led some critics to argue that the bill does not go far enough, despite being viewed as a step in the right direction.
"There hasn’t been many protests near K-to-12 schools," a council source stated, but added that it is "good to send a message" to deter intimidation of students and staff. Councilman Eric Dinowitz, a co-sponsor, emphasized that "every child in this city deserves to walk into school without fear of being harassed or intimidated."
Mayor Zohran Mamdani had previously vetoed a bill in April that aimed to create buffer zones around educational institutions, including colleges, citing concerns that it would restrict free speech rights. Council Speaker Julie Menin stated that the current legislation ensures "children and families can safely access schools without fear or intimidation while protecting constitutional rights, which are sacrosanct."
The legislation mandates that Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch submit a "transparency report" to the mayor and Council Speaker detailing the NYPD's policies on "security perimeters" around specified educational facilities. The report will outline when security buffer zones are established and how they are managed to ensure they do not curtail free speech, assembly, or protest rights, nor impede emergency access.
Jewish community leaders, including Jewish Community Relations Council of New York CEO Mark Treyger and the UJA-Federation of New York, hailed the bill as a "major victory." Treyger noted that "the measure of a society is how it protects its children" and highlighted the urgency of safety measures, referencing a recent antisemitic hate crime targeting an early childhood program in Queens.
However, a council source commented that the bill is "symbolic" due to its exclusion of colleges and universities, such as Columbia University and CUNY's City College, where significant protests have occurred. Mamdani previously stated that restrictions on protests could impact various groups, including workers protesting ICE or students advocating on issues like fossil fuels or Palestinian rights.
In related actions, the City Council also passed a law allowing the NYPD to establish buffer zones around houses of worship. Furthermore, Governor Kathy Hochul and the state legislature approved a statewide law creating a 50-foot buffer zone around religious centers and establishing a new penalty for "criminal interference with access to a place of religious worship," a class B misdemeanor carrying potential jail time and fines.