A new bill in New York, the Stand Against Flags of Enemy Terrorists Act, aims to combat rising antisemitism by penalizing the display of terrorist organization flags like Hamas and Hezbollah. With a proposed prison sentence of up to four years for violating this law, state officials argue that certain symbols incite hate and harassment, particularly in light of increased antisemitic incidents following the October 7 terror attack by Hamas. The bill expands existing laws against hate symbols such as swastikas and nooses, reflecting concerns of safety among Jewish communities.
Jewish New Yorkers have been harassed or threatened because of their religion and ethnicity particularly after Oct. 7, 2023, when the Palestinian terror group Hamas launched its horrific massacre on Israel.
New York has long recognized there are some symbols that 'cross the line' from free speech to fomenting hate and harassment - 'and the emblems of mass-murdering terrorist organizations certainly belong in that category,' Lasher told The Post.
Anti-Israel protesters in the city have since become infamous for waving, drawing and displaying flags, emblems, logos and other symbols of recognized foreign terrorist organizations such as Hamas and Hezbollah.
The proposed Stand Against Flags of Enemy Terrorists Act would expand the definition of aggravated harassment in the first degree... to include instances when a person displays a symbol of a foreign terrorist organization with the intent to harass, annoy, threaten.
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