OAN Staff Jenna Lee and Sophia Flores
2:37 PM – Friday, April 24, 2026
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani has sparked a firestorm of criticism after vetoing a bill that would have created a “buffer zone” around schools to protect students from disruptive protests. While he blocked the school safety measure, he allowed a second buffer zone bill protecting houses of worship to become law.
In his veto message, Mamdani (D-N.Y.) made it clear that his decision was rooted in protecting specific political movements, expressing concern that the safety zones would stifle protests against ICE or those in support of Palestinian rights.
The veto drew immediate condemnation from a variety of religious and community organizations, including the UJA-Federation of New York, ADL New York/New Jersey, AJC New York, Conference of Presidents, JCRC-NY, New York Board of Rabbis, Orthodox Union, The Rabbinical Assembly, StandWithUs, Teach NYS and the Union for Reform Judaism.
“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,” the joint statement said. “This veto is a profound failure of City Hall to demonstrate to all New Yorkers that our safety is a priority.”
City Council Speaker Julie Menin also blasted the decision, noting that protecting children from harassment should not be a partisan issue.
“Ensuring students can enter and exit their schools without fear of harassment or intimidation should not be controversial,” Menin said, adding that the bill was carefully crafted to respect First Amendment rights while prioritizing physical safety.
Mamdani also said in a statement that he allowed the ‘Houses of Worship’ bill to become law without his signature. The bill originally included a requirement for a buffer zone of up to 100 feet around houses of worship, but the distance requirement was later removed after the New York Police Department (NYPD) raised logistical concerns.
“It initially raised constitutional concerns. However, the final version of the bill that passed is narrower in scope and effect,” Mamdani shared in a statement. “Following a thorough legal review, I do not believe it poses the same risks it once did, and that is why I will allow it to become law. That said, I disagree with its framing of all protest as a security concern.”
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