Zohran Mamdani vetoes school 'buffer zone' bill against wishes of major Jewish groups

[question everything]

Mayor Zohran Mamdani vetoed a “buffer zone” bill insulating “educational facilities” from protests on Friday morning, drawing the ire of a number of Jewish organizations that supported it.

The bill, introduced by Jewish City Council member Eric Dinowitz, was part of a legislative package proposed in response to a pair of pro-Palestinian protests outside synagogues in the fall.

In a statement — and an accompanying video — Mamdani said Dinowitz’s bill, Intro 175-B, posed concerns about limiting people’s right to protest, including “college students demanding their school divest from fossil fuels or demonstrating in support of Palestinian rights.”

The national student pro-Palestinian movement in 2024 had as its epicenter Columbia University in Manhattan’s Morningside Heights neighborhood, where protesters gathered even after the school closed the campus to outsiders.

(snip)

Another bill in the legislative package, introduced by Jewish Council Speaker Julie Menin, addresses protests outside houses of worship and passed in City Council with a veto-proof supermajority.

https://www.jta.org/2026/04/24/ny/zohran-mamdani-vetoes-school-buffer-zone-bill-against-wishes-of-major-jewish-groups

[question everything]

14. Of course you are. Judging by your avatar.

But do you have to trample in a place where Jews seek to feel safe, to share similar hopes and concerns?

Please remove your comment, post it in GD.

Thank you.

[Autumn]

15. Didn't realize this was a group. I'm more than happy to remove my post.

[msongs]

2. what constitutes an educational facility?

[RandySF]

6. They're called schools.

[msongs]

11. what kind of schools? public, madrasas, corprate symposiums etc. the plan oughta be

specific. sunday schools? gay therapy camps?

[lapucelle]

12. Read the text.

Chapter 1 of title 10 of the administrative code of the city of New York is amended by adding a new section 10-188 to read as follows:
§ 10-188 Plan regarding security perimeters adjacent to educational facilities. For purposes of this section, the following terms have the following meanings:

Educational facility
The term “educational facility” means any building, structure, or place where educational programming takes place. Such term includes but is not limited to public and nonpublic childcare programs, early childhood programs, elementary schools, middle schools, junior high schools, high schools, colleges, and universities.

Interference
The term “interference” means restricting an individual’s freedom of movement.

Intimidation
The term “intimidation” means placing an individual in reasonable fear of physical harm to themselves or to another individual.

Physical obstruction
The term “physical obstruction” means rendering ingress to or egress from an educational facility impassable, or unreasonably difficult or hazardous.

Link to text at note 22.
https://legistar.council.nyc.gov/LegislationDetail.aspx?ID=7861546&GUID=726744DC-06CC-4D1F-9BBB-DB78552E7AA5&Options=ID|Text|&Search=Proposed+Int.+No.+175-B

[RandySF]

3. I used to work near a Jewish community center.

And within the center was a daycare that evacuated on a regular basis due to bomb threats.

I am beginning to worry that we’re heading down a road that ends with us looking like the anti-Jewish party.

[lostincalifornia]

5. We already are, looking that way, and Ironicly the MAGAs have no problem with it either, and Jews

Last edited Fri Apr 24, 2026, 06:42 PM - Edit history (1)

are in the middle who have nothing to do with the political actions of their leaders.

[lostincalifornia]

4. Because JEWISH places of worship and educational facility should be subject to taunts and harassment by

protesters.

What nonsense.

He is not hiding his bias against Jews anymore, along with his wife.

I wonder if those so called progressives have a problem with planned parenthood protesters, or it’s ok only if it is Jews?

[RandySF]

7. If you want to protest

Last edited Fri Apr 24, 2026, 06:24 PM - Edit history (1)

Go find the local Israeli consulate, not some school or synagogue.

[dflprincess]

8. So if we don't like what Saudi Arabia is doing

It's okay to protest outside of a mosque?

I'm no fan of the current Israeli government but protesting it outside a school or place of worship makes no sense. Especially in NYC where protests could be held at Israel's U.N. mission.

[Bluestocking]

9. Of course he did

[OC375]

10. It's OK when we do it.

[lapucelle]

13. Julie Menin may well decide to whip the votes to override the veto.

She only needs to flip four members, including one who abstained.

The first amendment argument asserted in the Mayor's Veto Notice is weak at best, conflating the establishment of buffer zones with the denial of the right to protest. The easiest fix is to limit "educational facilities" to those specifically mentioned in the definitions section, so that the concerns of those worried about "corporate symposiums [sic]" are assuaged.

Unfortunately, if the definitional fix is adopted, NYC's LGBTQ+ affirming specialized summer programs for youth will not be included, and bigots will still be free to interfere, harass, intimidate, and obstruct in the immediate area of the facility.

[lapucelle]

16. "Override" just got an additional vote.

Link to tweet

[question everything]

17. Thanks for posting. Why were there elections today?

[lapucelle]

18. A city council member (Erick Bottcher) was elected to the NYS Senate in a special election in in February.

The state senator Bottcher replaced (Brad Hoylman-Sigal) was elected Manhattan borough president in November.

Carl Wilson wins NYC Council special election, in a blow to Mamdani

The Manhattan race to succeed Erik Bottcher became a Mamdani-Menin proxy battle after the mayor endorsed second-place finisher Lindsey Boylan.

https://www.cityandstateny.com/politics/2026/04/carl-wilson-wins-nyc-council-special-election-blow-mamdani/413190/

[LisaM]

19. And then last week in the soccer zones he set up for NY public schools...

he shows up in an Arsenal jersey.

Arsenal are a North London team whose traditional rival are Tottenham Hotspur, a team with historic connections to the Jewish community. Its fans (I am a supporter, though I am not Jewish) are affectionately known as Yids. They gave themselves this own nickname, basically, because the word was considered derisive and they wanted to take it back.

Arsenal are legit Mamdani's team. However, he must be fully aware that his wearing an Arsenal kit will rile Jewish fans of Tottenham (on top of that, this week, also, Sadiq Khan, London's mayor, openly rooted for Tottenham to be relegated).