The New York City Council approved a set of laws on Thursday (March 26, 2026) to combat the rise in antisemitism and hate crimes in the city
Among the main measures are the creation of buffer zones around places of worship and schools, with the goal of ensuring that people can enter and leave these locations safely, without being intimidated or hindered by aggressive protests.
The new rules authorize the New York Police Department (NYPD) to establish buffer zones at the entrances of synagogues, religious schools, and other educational institutions.
Within these zones, any behavior that blocks access or creates an environment of intimidation and harassment is prohibited.
The idea is to protect the constitutional right to worship and education, without impeding the right to peaceful protest.
The measure responds to the sharp increase in antisemitic incidents in the city-which rose by 182% in January-and a series of protests that, according to authorities and Jewish leaders, often cross the line of freedom of expression and turn into hostility directed against religious communities.
The president of the Council, Julie Menin, the first Jewish person to hold the position, defended the initiative: “The increase in hate speech in the city is absolutely repugnant and we need to do something about it.” She emphasized that the law was carefully drafted to balance public safety and freedom of expression, promoting transparency and dialogue with the community in police actions.
Jewish leaders celebrated the approval.
They argue that synagogue and school attendees should not have to go through a “corridor of intimidation” just to pray or study.
One of them recalled that the right to religious freedom means being able to enter a place of worship in peace, without fear.
Not everyone agreed.
Some councilors voted against the specific law for schools, concerned about possible impacts on student protests.
Left-wing and civil liberties groups criticized the measure, saying it could restrict the right to protest.
Mayor Zohran Mamdani may still veto one of the proposals.
Despite disagreements, most council members considered the physical protection of sensitive locations, such as schools and places of worship, necessary given the current reality of threats and hate crimes that have been growing in the city.
The expectation is that the new rules will help keep these spaces safe for everyone, regardless of faith or origin.
Published in 03/27/2026 00h58
Text adapted by AI (Grok) and translated via Google API in the English version. Images from public image libraries or credits in the caption.
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