“Get The Hamas Mob Out!” – Bill Introduced To Ban Protests From New York Shuls

By FrumNews.com

Manhattan, NY — State Senator Sam Sutton and Assemblymember Micah Lasher introduced a bill mandating a buffer zone between protests and Shuls (and other houses of worship).

The bill was introduced in response to the Hamas protest mob that descended on Park East Synagogue last month, chanting “death to the IDF,” among other anti-Semitic chants, which the city failed to protect from.

Just one week after introducing it, the bill is moving swiftly through Albany and gaining steam, with Senator Liz Krueger (whose district includes the Park East Synagogue) and Assemblywoman Nily Rozic (of Queens) as co-sponsors.

The legislation would amend Section 240.70 of the New York State Penal Law to prohibit demonstrations within 25 feet of reproductive health care facilities and places of worship. By creating a modest buffer zone, the legislation balances the critical constitutional protections of speech and religion, and gives law enforcement important new tools to protect the rights of all New Yorkers. The bill would also make clear that New Yorkers entering a house of worship receive the protections of law without an inquiry into the purpose of their entry.

“New York must always be a place where people can both exercise free speech and express their religious identity without fear or intimidation, and that balance broke down outside Park East Synagogue,” Assemblymember Micah Lasher, who represents the Jewish community in the Upper West Side, explained. “This bill will help our city government and other localities across the state ensure that New Yorkers are able to enter houses of worship without having to run a gauntlet of hate speech. Simple decency and mutual respect demand nothing less.”

Violators would face a charge of criminal interference with access to a place of religious worship in the first degree — a Class A misdemeanor — punishable by up to 1 year in prison.

“When people walk into a synagogue, church, mosque, or temple, they deserve to feel safe,” Senator Sam Sutton said. “When families trying to enter their houses of worship are instead forced to push past hostile crowds gathered just feet from the door, it’s not peaceful expression — it’s blatant intimidation. New Yorkers deserve better. We cannot and will not allow it.”

The UJA-Federation of New York announced its support for the bill, which comes as New York State has experienced a 69% increase in hate crimes in the last five years, with anti-Semitism constituting 44% of all hate crimes and 88% of all religion-based hate crimes in New York, according to a report by the New York State Comptroller.

“The ability to worship freely and without fear is fundamental to who we are as a nation,” Eric Goldstein, CEO of the UJA-Federation of New York, said. “[The] UJA strongly supports this bill, which takes meaningful steps to ensure that every faith community can gather in safety. No one should ever face intimidation or see their synagogue — or any house of worship — targeted by protests meant to disrupt or instill fear.”

“Freedom of speech and of religion are bedrock principles of American democracy, and both have equal claim to protection under our laws,” Senator Liz Krueger, a co-sponsor, said. “When they appear to be in conflict, it requires careful consideration and thoughtful compromise. People have a right to protest, which includes saying things that some find objectionable and even making people feel uncomfortable. But that right does not extend to causing a reasonable person to fear for their immediate physical safety or preventing them from exercising their religious freedom as they see fit, including entering a house of worship.”

“This bill strikes the right balance and provides clarity that will protect both protesters and those entering and exiting houses of worship, without unduly infringing on free speech,” Krueger added.