The right to protest is sacred. That’s why thousands of New Yorkers spoke out when Assembly Speaker Julie Minn and Assemblymember Eric Dinowitz introduced bills that violate our constitutional rights under the cynical and false pretext of combating anti-Semitism.
That is why today, as Jewish New Yorkers, we welcome New York Mayor Mamdani’s decision to veto Section 175B, which would have limited our right to protest in front of educational institutions. We’re still angry at the City Council members who passed the other bill, Intro 1B, to undermine protest in front of houses of worship, overwhelmingly veto-proof.
Eliza Klein, JVP organizer for New York City:
“These bills are not about Jewish safety. Especially at a time when the federal government is attacking our cities — including targeting those who speak out for Palestinian freedom — New Yorkers want elected leaders to protect our constitutional rights, not restrict them.”
Organizing things. Thanks to meetings, calls, letters and testimony from thousands across the city, the anti-democratic bills have been watered down and no longer have an implementation mechanism. However, we are clearly aware of the dangerous precedent that the anti-Palestinian bills the City Council is sending: If you want to violate international law or US law, just do it inside a house of worship and you will be cut off from protesting.
Despite what some have claimed, these bills are not about Jewish safety. They were filed in the wake of protests outside houses of worship hosting non-religious political events, including the auctioning off of occupied Palestinian territories in the West Bank — which is illegal under international law, the federal Fair Housing Act, and state and local anti-discrimination law.
We call on New York City legislators to stop using our identities as a weapon to justify the suppression of dissent – something sacred to our Jewish tradition. Instead of limiting our constitutional right to protest, our lawmakers should end the sale of stolen Palestinian land in our city.
The City Council has failed New Yorkers by passing these bills. We affirm Mayor Mamdani’s decision to veto Introduction 175B. This fight is not over – we have one month to stop the City Council from trying to override Mayor Mamdani’s veto, and we will continue to organize and protect the right to protest in our city.
Not in our synagogues. Not in our name
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