Mamdani vetoes school protest ‘buffer zone’ bill to protect anti-ICE, pro-Palestinian demonstrations

New York City socialist mayor Zohran Mamdani said he will veto a bill that would establish protest “buffer zones” around educational institutions, arguing the measure would restrict demonstrations against ICE and actions in support of Palestinians. Mamdani has said that he got into politics as a way to fight for Palestinians against Israel.

In a video statement addressing two protest-related bills passed last month by the City Council, Mamdani said he would allow one measure to take effect while rejecting the other. The bill he approved creates a buffer zone around houses of worship.

Mamdani said the original version of the legislation raised constitutional concerns, but the final version was narrowed to require the New York Police Department to document its existing practices related to protests near houses of worship. 

The vetoed bill would have applied similar restrictions to educational institutions. Mamdani said he was concerned about how broadly the bill defined those institutions, as well as the constitutional concerns regarding the right to protest.

“As the bill is written, everywhere from universities to museums to teaching hospitals could face restrictions,” Mamdani explained. “Say you’re a worker protesting ICE, or a college student demanding your school divest from fossil fuels, or demonstrating in support of Palestinian rights. Inro 175-B is not a narrow public safety measure. It is a piece of legislation that has alarmed much of the labor movement, reproductive rights groups, and immigration advocates, amongst others, across the city.”

According to a report by the New York Post, Mamdani contacted Jewish organizations after the bills passed in an effort to gain support for vetoing both bills, but did not receive backing. Instead, Jewish groups including the UJA-Federation of New York and the Anti-Defamation League, condemned his planned veto.

“At a time when Jewish and other communities across our city are facing heightened threats, this legislation represented a crucial step toward ensuring that every school and community institution can be better protected,” a statement from the groups said. “Measures like these importantly safeguard institutions against real and growing threats while maintaining people’s right to protest. Actions often speak louder than words. This veto is a profound failure of City Hall to demonstrate to all New Yorkers that our safety is a priority."