City Council President Advocates for Protest Limits Near Places of Worship
In her inaugural announcement, City Council President Julie Menin stated she would advocate for regulations on demonstrations outside synagogues and other religious sites.
This initiative follows Mayor Zoran Mamdani’s controversial decision to roll back city measures aimed at combating anti-Semitism from his first day in office, a move that has raised alarms within the Jewish community.
Menin, marking a historic moment as the first Jewish leader of the Legislature, conveyed to the mayor that New York’s Jewish residents were apprehensive about his choice to overturn or modify executive orders set forth by former Mayor Eric Adams.
“I discussed these matters directly with the mayor, especially regarding the executive order, since there was palpable concern among the Jewish community following its rescission,” she explained during her first formal press conference in her new role.
Mamdani had previously lifted two executive orders meant to safeguard New York Jews from anti-Semitic acts, amid other directives from the Adams administration. These included adjustments to the definition of anti-Semitism and prohibiting city employees from participating in protests related to the Boycott Divest Sanction (BDS) movement against Israel.
Following these changes, Mamdani reinstated an executive order to preserve the Mayor’s Office to Combat Anti-Semitism, instructing Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch to create a secure area around places of worship to limit protesters.
However, Menin argued that more robust measures were necessary.
“I made it clear to him that I fully support this initiative. We want to take it further by formalizing the safe perimeter. In fact, we’ve been working on legislation for several months,” Menin shared.
The Manhattan Democrat also emphasized the importance of establishing safety zones around schools.
“It’s crucial that we codify these significant policies, ensuring they aren’t reliant on the current speaker or mayor,” she concluded.
