(RNS) — The New York City Council passed a bill Thursday (March 26) calling for buffer zones around places of worship in an attempt to protect them from rowdy protesters.
But the bill that passed with a solid majority, 44-5, with one abstention, was a watered-down version of what Council Speaker Julie Menin initially called for.
The bill, which had been much discussed after a November protest was held outside a prominent Manhattan synagogue, directs the New York Police Department to present a plan to the mayor and the council within 45 days, explaining how the city will use “security perimeters” to help safeguard houses of worship.
Menin, who is Jewish, had originally called for secure buffer zones of up to 100 feet outside of houses of worship. But Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch raised concerns that the bill would restrict the police’s ability to determine the size of the necessary buffer zones. Others raised free speech concerns and said a buffer zone law would only serve to intimidate those fighting for Palestinian human rights.
The bill was originally conceived after protesters gathered outside the Park East Synagogue in New York on Nov. 19, as it hosted an event promoting immigration to Israel. During the protest outside the Orthodox synagogue, some shouted “death to the IDF,” “globalize the …