Particle.news
Download on the App Store
6 ARTICLES
·
2w ago

Hochul Renews Push for 25-Foot Buffer at Houses of Worship and $70 Million in Security Grants

The plan signals a test of how far New York can limit protests near worship sites under First Amendment rules.

Mayor Zohran Mamdani and his wife Rama Duwaji pose for photos after a press conference during moving day at Gracie Mansion on January 12, 2026 in New York City. (Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images)
Image
Image
Image

Overview

  • Gov. Kathy Hochul, speaking Wednesday, doubled down on a statewide 25-foot protest buffer and opened applications to bring hate-crime security grants to $70 million as she said legal challenges can "bring it on."
  • The draft state bill would bar demonstrations within 25 feet of worship entrances, with enforcement focused where protests are expected or underway, and reporting on the text says violations could carry felony charges.
  • Civil liberties groups, including the New York Civil Liberties Union, say the proposal would create broad no-speech zones and invite biased policing, pointing to court rulings that require narrow, content-neutral limits on protests.
  • Officials backing action cite NYPD data showing hate crimes rose 11.7% in early 2026, with about 55% targeting Jews and a sharp 140% increase in anti-Muslim attacks this year.
  • The city took a narrower route as the Council passed a 44–5 measure directing the NYPD to craft site-specific protest plans without new criminal penalties, and Mayor Zohran Mamdani has 30 days from passage for a decision before it can take effect automatically.