Mayor Zohran Mamdani vetoed a controversial bill passed by the City Council that would let the New York Police Department establish “buffer zones” around educational institutions during protests.
In a statement on April 24, Mamdani said the measure could limit “New Yorkers’ fundamental right to protest.” He said the bill's definition of educational institutions was overly broad and that it would apply to universities, museums, and teaching hospitals.
The mayor said he is concerned the bill “could impact workers protesting [Immigration and Customs Enforcement], or college students demanding their school divest from fossil fuels or demonstrating in support of Palestinian rights.”
He said the legislation was a concern to the labor movement, reproductive rights groups, and immigration advocates, and that it would restrict their ability to organize.
It was the mayor’s first veto, and it came amid challenging negotiations with the City Council as the city faces a $5.4 billion budget deficit.
Responding to the mayor, City Council Speaker Julie Menin said she saw no First Amendment issues with the bill.
“Ensuring students can enter and exit their schools without fear of harassment or intimidation should not be controversial," she said in a statement. "This bill simply requires the NYPD to clearly outline how it will ensure safe access when there are threats of obstruction or physical injury, while fully protecting First Amendment rights.”
In March, council members passed the bill 30–19. Menin would need four additional votes to override the mayor’s veto.
The mayor did not veto a similar bill relating to security at houses of worship.
That law allows the Police Department to establish buffer zones near houses of worship during protests. Mamdani said the initial version raised constitutional concerns, but the scope of the final version is narrower, and that after a legal review, he found it acceptable and signed it. He added, “That said, I disagree with its framing of all protest as a security concern.”
The original bill Menin proposed called for police to establish a 100-foot perimeter around houses of worship after a vociferous and disruptive protest in November at Park East Synagogue on the Upper East Side by the Palestinian Assembly for Liberation Awda of New York and New Jersey.
The revised bill does not specify how large the buffer zone should be and allows police to decide on a case-by-case basis.