NYC Council holds hearing on buffer zone bill

"This is a new version of the original bill, which set a buffer zone of up to 100 feet. This version would let the NYPD decide whether there should be a buffer zone, how big it will be and and how long it will be enforced."

"Police would also have to implement the zone and tell protesters and those entering and leaving the place of worship that a buffer zone has been set up. This has been a highly charged issue for months, ever since pro-Palestinian protesters demonstrated outside several synagogues."

The City Council conducted a public hearing on February 25 regarding a modified bill that would authorize the police department to make decisions about buffer zones around places of worship. Unlike the original proposal that mandated a fixed 100-foot buffer zone, this revised version grants the NYPD discretionary power to determine whether a buffer zone is necessary, establish its size, and decide its duration. Police would be responsible for implementing the zone and notifying both protesters and individuals entering or leaving the place of worship about the buffer zone's establishment. This issue has generated significant controversy for months, stemming from pro-Palestinian protests conducted outside multiple synagogues.

Read at WBGO Jazz