New York, New York - New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani has vetoed one controversial protest buffer zone bill while allowing another to pass into law.
Mamdani announced on Friday that he was vetoing Intro 175-B, legislation that would allow the NYPD to create buffer zones limiting the right to protest around schools and educational institutions.
"The problem is how widely this bill defines an educational institution and the constitutional concerns it raises regarding New Yorkers’ fundamental right to protest. As the bill is written, everywhere from universities to museums to teaching hospitals could face restrictions," the mayor explained in a statement.
"This could impact workers protesting ICE, or college students demanding their school divest from fossil fuels or demonstrating in support of Palestinian rights."
Mamdani said he was letting another bill, Intro 1-B, go into effect, as the final version is "narrower in scope and effect" than the measure originally proposed.
The legislation, which passed out of the city council with a veto-proof majority, would allow for the creation of buffer zones around houses of worship. An earlier version would have mandated 100-foot security perimeters around religious sites.
"Following a thorough legal review, I do not believe it poses the same risks it once did, and that is why I will allow it to become law. That said, I disagree with its framing of all protest as a security concern," Mamdani said.
Mamdani praised for vetoing buffer zones at educational institutions
Mamdani has received widespread praise for vetoing Intro 175-B.
"Protest is in the DNA of our city, from Stonewall to No Kings. We applaud the Mayor for vetoing Intro 175-B, legislation that would abandon our city’s history, endanger our right to speak out, and make it more likely that going to school, a library, or even a hospital leads to an encounter with police," New York Civil Liberties Union Executive Director Donna Lieberman said in a statement.
"At a time when New Yorkers are taking to the streets in historic numbers to defend our hard-won freedoms and resist the Trump regime – as we must – the City should be looking to support, not stifle, our right to speak out."
PSC/CUNY President James Davis released a statement, which read, "Mayor Mamdani proved himself a champion of students, faculty and staff once again today when he vetoed Intro 175-B. This 'buffer zone' legislation would jeopardize First Amendment rights to free expression for all New Yorkers irrespective of religion, race, or nationality, imposing new restrictions near any vaguely defined 'educational facilities.' That includes CUNY campuses, which are worksites and sites of political expression."
Audrey Sasson, executive director of Jews For Racial & Economic Justice, called the veto a "victory for free speech and civil liberties" and urged the city council to uphold it.
City Council Speaker Julie Menin has not yet said whether she plans to try to override the veto, the first of Mamdani's mayoralty.
"Ensuring students can enter and exit their schools without fear of harassment or intimidation should not be controversial. 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," Menin responded in a statement.