New York City Council Speaker Julie Menin and Councilmember Yusef Salaam are introducing a series of bills aimed at combating hate crimes Wednesday.
The legislation would create buffer zones outside houses of worship and schools in coordination with the NYPD.
Jewish, Catholic and Muslim faith leaders all spoke at a press conference at City Hall about the importance of the bills to combat hate.
Menin and Salaam repeatedly spoke about the importance of maintaining free speech.
“Freedom of speech is truly sacrosanct,” Menin said.
“We’re here today to send a clear message: New York City will not sit idly by in the face of hate,” Salaam said.
Meanwhile, protesters gathered outside.
“Folks are protesting outside, right here. That’s their right. This is a government building,” Jewish Community Relations Council CEO Mark Treyger said.
The protesters say the proposed bills infringe upon the First Amendment by further involving law enforcement.
“I’m also a Muslim who was born and raised in NY and went to many mosques. What actually made me feel unsafe as a Muslim in New York was more police surveillance,” attorney Leena Widdi said.
Many of those demonstrators outside waited for over an hour, hoping to get into the pack City Council chamber. At one point, they chanted “Let us in.”
Mayor Zohran Mamdani said the latest version of the legislation will be reviewed by the city’s Law Department and NYPD. Mamdani said he’s looking forward “to seeing whatever the final version is of that legislation.”
And, you know, we have conversations that are always focused on how to keep the city moving forward.
The hearing takes place all day, but no vote is expected Wednesday.