New York makes blocking house of worship entry a crime
The Story
New York Governor Kathy Hochul signed a law on Tuesday making it a crime to block someone from entering a house of worship or to act in a way that makes worshippers fear for their safety. The law, approved after protests outside synagogues, also allows police to establish 50-foot security perimeters where protests are not allowed.
Key Facts
- The law creates a misdemeanor criminal charge for people who interfere with access to houses of worship.
- It was signed after a series of protests outside synagogues hosting real estate events promoting emigration to Israel and the Israeli-occupied West Bank.
- During one protest outside a synagogue in Queens, activists chanted pro-Hamas remarks.
- The law applies statewide to any house of worship, including mosques.
- New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani signed a separate local law requiring the NYPD to disclose plans for handling protests outside houses of worship and rules on security perimeters.
Conflicting Reports
- Pro-Palestinian groups argue the real estate events are part of a campaign to drive Arabs out of Israel and its controlled territories and facilitate growth of illegal Jewish settlements.
- Some Jewish leaders have called the demonstrations antisemitic.
Still Unclear
No open questions identified in the source article.
Misconceptions
No widespread misconceptions addressed in the source article.
Key Figures
- Gov. Kathy Hochul (Democrat)
- Donna Lieberman, executive director of the New York Civil Liberties Union (critic of the law)
- Mayor Zohran Mamdani (New York City)
Sources: abcnews.com
