New York State lawmakers announced a major expansion of protections around houses of worship, Jewish schools, and community centers following a surge in antisemitic harassment and violence across the state.
In a sharply worded statement following Mayor Mamdani’s veto of the City Council’s school safety perimeter bill, lawmakers declared: “If the City of New York cannot find it within themselves to take the necessary steps to protect our children, the State of New York must and will step in to act.”
The new legislation expands the protest buffer zone around protected sites from 25 feet to 50 feet and explicitly extends those protections to Jewish day schools and Jewish community centers. The bill also creates a misdemeanor offense for individuals who harass or intimidate people within the protected zone.
“At a time of rising hatred and division, New York must send a clear message: every community deserves to feel safe walking into its houses of worship, schools, or community institutions,” the lawmakers added.
