Several anti-Zionist activist groups, including Jewish Voice for Peace, are condemning a proposal by New York Gov. Kathy Hochul that would create buffer zones around synagogues and other houses of worship to prevent the harassment of congregants during protests.
The groups, led by the legal advocacy organization Palestine Legal, argue that the measure poses what they call a “serious threat to New Yorkers’ First Amendment rights.” In a joint statement, they warned that the proposal could be used to suppress political dissent under the guise of protecting religious freedom.
Hochul’s proposal would not ban protests outright, but would prohibit demonstrations within 25 feet of the property line of houses of worship. The restriction would apply to all religious institutions, not only synagogues. Hochul has said the goal of the measure is to ensure that “those who simply want to pray can do so without fear or harassment.”
The proposal follows two recent protests at New York City synagogues that raised concerns within the Jewish community. Demonstrators said they were targeting events connected to West Bank settlements, but chants in support of terrorism and violence were reported, along with the use of discriminatory epithets directed at Jews.
At least one of the protests, which took place last week in Queens, occurred more than 25 feet from the synagogue, meaning the proposed law would not have affected it.
In their statement, the activist groups argued that the regulation would create a troubling precedent. “This proposed regulation sends a dangerous message that if people want to insulate their violations of international law from dissent, they need only relocate their events into houses of worship to suppress protest,” the statement said. It was also signed by the Palestinian Youth Movement, the Center for Constitutional Rights, and Pal-Awda, the group that organized the synagogue protests.
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6 Responses
can simcha eichenstein the deputy majority leader change this?
Why is the proposal pathetic?
Seriously? Who are the protesters talking to? People who just want to go to their places of worship and pray? Of course not. They want the tv and media to make a big deal of whatever they want to say. They shouldn’t be there in the first place. Outside a shul isn’t the place to make a protest. Go to the mayors house or in front of the White House if you want. Leave the regular people alone. Just common sense. They just want to make trouble and are too lazy to make a proper protest. Lazy lazy lazy
that’s crazy how heretical zionists hide behind religion and then get surprised when religion gets attacked.
zionists want the jews to be their human shields.
Mrs good for nothing koughin hochum in response has said she will make the ban 8 feet instead of 25 feet, and this will prevent any harassment and antisemitism and islamophobia. never forget koughin kathey said about islamophobia we can not mention antisemitism without mentioning islamophobia due to all the Jews and Zionists that harass devout Muslims outside mosques across our great country
— Kathy your empty suit, gornisht governor and your next governor
The proposal is not pathetic, it’s reasonable and sensible. Protesters MUST be allowed close enough to the people to whom they wish to deliver their message to be able to deliver it effectively.
People going in and out of a shul MUST be able to hear that we are all vampires and should be stuffed in ovens, if that’s what they want to tell us. They have the right to tell us that, and to make sure we hear it.
What they don’t have is the right to prevent us from using the shul, out of fear for our safety. A person going to shul should not have to worry about being assaulted and injured or worse, r”l. 25 feet should be enough for that.