New York State passes buffer zone bill to protect houses of worship

NEW YORK — The New York State legislature passed a law that creates buffer zones around houses of worship on Tuesday, after a lengthy legislative battle spurred by a protest outside a synagogue last year.

The law establishes 50-foot (15-meter) protected areas around the entrances to places of religious worship, including some sites for education and community centers.

Law enforcement that is handling protests at houses of worship may establish a perimeter beyond the 50-foot limit.

Interfering with access to a place of worship is a class B misdemeanor, according to the law.

New York Governor Kathy Hochul had pushed for the bill’s inclusion in the state budget.

“Every New Yorker should be able to enter their house of worship and practice their religion without fear. As we’re witnessing an alarming rise in hate-fueled attacks and blatant antisemitism, I’m grateful my buffer zones legislation has passed and New Yorkers will be safer because of it,” Hochul said in a statement to The Times of Israel.

The push for buffer zones began after a vitriolic protest at a New York City synagogue late last year. That demonstration was followed by other protests outside synagogues in the city that saw demonstrators harass Jewish passersby, shout violent slogans, chant in support of Hamas and wave Hezbollah flags.

The protests targeted events at the synagogues linked to West Bank settlements.

New York City passed legislation meant to protect houses of worship late last month. The city bill requires the police to formulate and publicize plans to control protests at houses of worship, but unlike the state law, did not set a firm distance or establish criminal penalties.

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani vetoed a similar bill for educational facilities.

The bills are politically divisive because of perceived conflicts between free speech and free assembly, and freedom of religion and anti-discrimination laws.

Leftist groups, including Jewish organizations and Mamdani allies, had opposed both bills, calling the measures an attack on free expression, while mainstream Jewish groups were in favor.

Leading Jewish groups applauded the bill’s passage in Tuesday statements.

“We commend Governor Hochul and the state legislature for taking decisive action to protect New Yorkers by passing “buffer zone” legislation, ensuring that safety and security remain a top priority across our communities,” the UJA-Federation of New York said.

“Because of her leadership, New Yorkers of every faith can now enter and exit their house of worship without fearing intimidation or harassment,” the Anti-Defamation League regional director, Scott Richman, said of Hochul.

US Representative Tom Suozzi, a moderate Democrat from Long Island, introduced a federal buffer zone bill last month.

During a protest last year outside Park East Synagogue in Manhattan, demonstrators were allowed to gather adjacent to the building’s entrance, where they hurled vitriol at entrants.

That protest led to the push for buffer zones, an effort that was bolstered by another demonstration weeks later in Queens, where demonstrators chanted, “We support Hamas.”

After the Park East protest, the NYPD apologized for allowing the protesters to gather so close to the entrance and vowed that it would not happen again.

Since then, police have tightly controlled the protests, keeping demonstrators clear of the entrances, including at two protests earlier this month.

The group organizing the synagogue protests, Pal-Awda, on Tuesday announced another protest later this week, without disclosing the exact location.